‘I am fulfilling my responsibility in Railways, our fight continues’: Sakshi Malik joins work but protest to go on

Taking to Twitter, the 30-year-old wrote: “This news is completely wrong. In the fight for justice, none of us has backed down, nor will we. Along with Satyagraha, I am fulfilling my responsibility in Railways. Our fight continues till justice is served. Please don’t spread any wrong news.”

Fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia also deemed the reports as fake and wrote on Twitter: “The news of withdrawing the movement is just a rumour. These news are being spread to harm us. We have neither retreated nor have we withdrawn the movement. The news of women wrestlers raising FIR is also false. The fight will continue till justice is served,” Punia tweeted.

ये खबर बिलकुल ग़लत है। इंसाफ़ की लड़ाई में ना हम में से कोई पीछे हटा है, ना हटेगा। सत्याग्रह के साथ साथ रेलवे में अपनी ज़िम्मेदारी को साथ निभा रही हूँ। इंसाफ़ मिलने तक हमारी लड़ाई जारी है। कृपया कोई ग़लत खबर ना चलाई जाए। pic.twitter.com/FWYhnqlinC

— Sakshee Malikkh (@SakshiMalik) June 5, 2023

आंदोलन वापस लेने की खबरें कोरी अफ़वाह हैं. ये खबरें हमें नुक़सान पहुँचाने के लिए फैलाई जा रही हैं.

हम न पीछे हटे हैं और न ही हमने आंदोलन वापस लिया है. महिला पहलवानों की एफ़आईआर उठाने की खबर भी झूठी है.

इंसाफ़ मिलने तक लड़ाई जारी रहेगी 🙏🏼 #WrestlerProtest pic.twitter.com/utShj583VZ

— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) June 5, 2023

Satyawart Kadian, Wrestler and husband of Sakshee Malikkh also gave his reaction to news agency ANI and said: “It’s fake news, we have not stepped back from protest. Our protest will continue.”

#WATCH | “It’s fake news, we have not stepped back from protest. Our protest will continue,” says Satyawart Kadian, Wrestler and husband of Sakshee Malikkh pic.twitter.com/Yn6jMa0cFi

— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2023

India’s top wrestlers have been protesting against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh for more than a month in the national capital, demanding his resignation. They have also levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Singh. FIRs have been registered in the case and officials said that the Delhi Police is expected to soon file a chargesheet in the matter.

Earlier, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had urged the wrestlers to “fully cooperate with a fair investigation” and let “the law take its own course”.

The last high-level meeting between the protesting wrestlers and government representatives was held on May 27, on the eve of the new Parliament’s inauguration. As the talks were inconclusive, the wrestlers, along with their supporters, went ahead with their plans to march to the new Parliament. They were stopped on the way, manhandled and detained by the Delhi Police. The police also filed an FIR against them under multiple sections, including rioting.

In response to the treatment meted out to them, which was condemned by international sports bodies and athletes in India, the wrestlers decided to “immerse” their medals in the Ganga last Tuesday. They went to Haridwar but did a rethink at the last minute, after a phone call from a BJP leader who asked for some time, and pressure from their families.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Naresh Tikait, who also reached Haridwar, asked the wrestlers to defer their decision by five days. On June 2, after Singh was forced to postpone his rally in Ayodhya, Tikait said at a khap panchayat that the government should be given “7 to 10 days” to take action against Singh.