Wrestlers Protest in Delhi: Indian Wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya, Sakshi Malik and world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat are among the protesting Olympians. (Express Photo)Indian Wrestlers Protest in Delhi News highlights: Indian Wrestlers’ protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has entered Day 3 as Olympic bronze medalist Bajrang Punia and other wrestlers reached Jantar Mantar around 11.45 am on Friday. Last night (Thursday) they had met sports minister Anurag Thakur, a meeting at finished at around 1.30 am
Wrestlers’ meeting with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur remained inconclusive as they refused to back down from their demand that the government immediately disband the federation
Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya, Sakshi Malik and world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat were part of the meeting. Thakur flew to Delhi from Himachal Pradesh after an earlier meeting between government officials and the protesting wrestlers remained inconclusive.
In a letter addressed to IOA President PT Usha, the wrestlers said they have been informed by several of their younger colleagues about the sexual harassment they faced at the hands of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The letter has been signed by five wrestlers including Tokyo Olympics medallists Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia. Rio Games bronze winner Sakshi Malik and World Championship medallists Vinesh Phogat and Deepak Punia have also signed. The wrestlers reiterated their demand that WFI be disbanded and its President be sacked. They also demanded that a new committee is formed, in consultation with the wrestlers, to run the affairs of the national federation.
Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. (Express photo)
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Friday formed a seven-member committee, including M C Mary Kom and Yogeshwar Dutt, to probe the allegations of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh by top grapplers. Besides legendary boxer Mary Kom and wrestler Yogeshwar, the panel also includes archer Dola Banerjee and Indian Weightlifting Federation of India (IWLF) president Sahdev Yadav. The decision was taken during IOA's emergency Executive Council meeting which was attended by the likes of Abhinav Bindra, Yogeshwar along with IOA president PT Usha and joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey. Shiva Keshvan was special invitee in meeting.
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will issue a statement on allegations of sexual harassment against him after the sports body's Annual General Meeting on January 22, his son Prateek said on Friday. The allegations have been made by some of the country's top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Ravi Dahiya. The WFI chief had called for a press conference in his native Gonda this morning. However, after delaying it for seven hours, his son, who is a BJP MLA from Gonda Sadar constituency, came on a stage to make the announcement. Addressing the media, Prateek said, "I am here on behalf of my father and I would like to inform you all that we will issue a written statement only after the AGM of WFI on January 22.
The WFI office was just 100 metres away, but why didn't he come? I would have asked him, can you say you have done nothing wrong? Vinesh
We are meeting the sports minister, if there is no solution we will see us back at Jantar Mantar tomorrow with Wrestling mats: Vinesh
One women wrestler has called me today. I have a 30-minute audio of how she has been harassed. This is about the vice president of the WFI. She has written many letters to the WFI but there has been no response: Vinesh
WFI president's house is just a few metres from here. But why has he run away from here to Gonda. This way he can even run away from the country: Bajrang
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We are happy WFI president is in Uttar Pradesh. We also don't want him to run away from UP: Vinesh
So far our demands have not been met. We are discussing only wrestling and in hour all our demands can be discussed and met: Vinesh
This is about women, it is not about one women wrestler but about many women Wrestlers. This is about the future of women wrestlers: Vinesh
There is not given to us in a paper in black and white. We are here to fight for self respect and we can't lose our self respect. This is about women and the way they are created and their are parents were of women wrestlers. We can't let them down: Vinesh
Sports minister has called us at 6 pm. We have made a lot of demands to the sports minister but they are not met yet. We are meeting him now and if there is no solution today then we may put a wrestling mat at jantar mantar and trainer here only: Vinesh
After protesting wreslters meet sports minister, Olympics body calls for emergency meeting today at 5.45 PM.
Celebrated Indian wrestlers, including Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat and others have been staging a sit-in protest for the past two days at Jantar Mantar against the WFI president, accusing him of sexual harassment and intimidation.
The wrestlers' meeting with Thakur remained inconclusive on Thursday. Bajrang, Ravi Dahiya, Sakshi and Vinesh were part of the meeting.
Thakur flew to Delhi from Himachal Pradesh after an earlier meeting between government officials and the protesting wrestlers remained inconclusive the previous day.
The ministry has asked the wrestling body for an explanation.
The WFI is yet to respond to the sports ministry, which on Wednesday gave the wrestling body 72 hours to respond to the allegations of sexual harassment.
Earlier speaking to a TV channel, Singh had said, "The protesting players have become a toy in the hands of Congress and Deepinder Hooda. This type of conspiracy was done against me by the Congress almost three decades ago. Once again the conspiracy has been repeated.
"I had earlier said that there was a conspiracy, and big powers are behind it. Now those forces are coming out in the open." He added, "The picture becomes more clear with the tweets and statements by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Deepinder Hooda. This attack is not only on me, but on the Bharatiya Janata Party through me," Singh had said.
Singh is scheduled to hold a press conference at Nandini Nagar Stadium in Gonda later in the evening.
Top Indian wrestlers had on Thursday refused to back down from their demand to disband the WFI as they met union sports minister Anurag Thakur.
Under-fire Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Friday termed the protest by the country's top grapplers 'dharna of Shaheen Bagh' and reiterated that he won't quit from the post.The agitating wrestlers on Friday reached out to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), demanding formation of an enquiry committee to probe the allegations of sexual harassment against Singh, a day after threatening to lodge multiple FIRs against the WFI chief.However, Singh has stuck to his stand to not relinquish the post.'The protest by wrestlers against me is the dharna of Shaheen Bagh,' Singh, who is also a sixth-time Lok Sabha MP from UP's Kaisarganj constituency, told reporters in his native place here.Singh also termed the protest in Delhi's Jantar Mantar an attack on BJP and orchestrated by the Congress party. - PTI
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have "torn the slogan 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' to shreds", alleged former discus thrower and Congress leader Krishna Poonia on Friday, over allegations of sexual exploitation of women wrestlers by Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chairman Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Addressing a joint press conference with boxer and Congress leader Vijender Singh, Poonia said that the daughters are being "sexually harassed", contrary to the expectation of bringing glory to the country by winning medals.
"On one side, our country wants medals, and on the other side, the daughters are being sexually harassed. Would the parents want to send their children to sports in the future? The BJP leaders have torn the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' slogan to shreds. The protests are taking place for 72 hours, and even after this, no steps have been taken by the BJP leaders to resolve it. The federation should be dissolved," she said.
Poonia and Vijender Singh hit out at the Centre over the allegations against the WFI chairman and demanded prompt action on the issue.
"The allegations that they have levelled are very strong. Prime Minister's elongated silence on the issue is condemnable and shameful. Prompt action should be taken," he said.
DCW chief Swati Maliwal raised a question on Friday as to why the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president has not been asked to resign, in the wake allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by female wrestlers.
Indian wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat, are staging a sit-in protest at the Jantar Mantar for the last two days against WFI president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexual exploitation and intimidation.
'It has been 72 hours since the protest was launched by the Indian wrestlers. Why has the WFI president's resignation not been sought? Why is an FIR not being registered in connection with the sexual harassment allegations? Why is the sports minister not making efforts to end the protest? Till when will the pride of the country sit on the street like this?' Maliwal asked in a tweet in Hindi.
Led by Phogat and Punia, the protesting wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Anshu Malik, Ravi Dahiya and Sarita Mor, met Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at his residence here on Thursday night and demanded speedy action in the matter. The two sides were involved in a marathon meeting that ended around 2 am, with the parties failing to find a tangible solution.
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is under pressure to step down over allegations of sexual harassment of women wrestlers, dismissed claims that he has spoken with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the matter and said that he will 'expose the political controversy' behind the claims later today.
Bajrang has reiterated that their dharna is purely driven by wrestlers and requested politicians not to try and hijack the protest at Jantar Mantar
The protesting wrestlers on Friday reached out to Indian Olympic Association (IOA), demanding formation of an enquiry committee to probe the allegations of sexual harassment they have levelled against WFI President, a day after threatening to lodge multiple FIRs against the sports administrator.
In a letter addressed to IOA President PT Usha, the wrestlers said they have been informed by several of their younger colleagues about the sexual harassment they faced at the hands of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The letter has been signed by five wrestlers including Tokyo Olympics medallists Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia.
Rio Games bronze winner Sakshi Malik and World Championship medallists Vinesh Phogat and Deepak Punia have also signed.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said it is 'extremely shameful' that no action has been taken against those who have been accused of sexual exploitation by female wrestlers.
Celebrated Indian wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat, are staging a sit-in protest at the Jantar Mantar here for the last two days against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexual exploitation and intimidation.
'From a Haryana minister to the WFI president, everyone has been accused of serious charges but there has been no resignation nor any action. This party and its government are busy shielding their leaders with respect to the security of women players. This is extremely shameful,' Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.
We will stop the Dharna as soon as our demands are met: Bajrang Punia on Day 3 of the protest said.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha on Thursday said she is "deeply concerned and disturbed" by the sexual harassment allegations by renowned wrestlers against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, saying the national Olympic body will do everything possible to safeguard the interest of the country's women athletes.
Celebrated Indian wrestlers, including Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik besides Vinesh Phogat and others are staging a sit-in protest for the last two days at Jantar Mantar here against the WFI president, accusing him of sexual exploitation and intimidation and have demanded that the federation be disbanded.