Wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sakshi Malik among others were seen doing several exercises followed by a wrestling training session at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Wednesday morning. The wrestlers have been protesting at Jantar Mantar demanding FIR against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh who has been accused of sexual harassment. During the morning exercise session, Olympic medal winner wrestler Punia said that the people of the country have given them the responsibility to win medals for the nation and the police haven't registered an FIR yet so how can they stop the wrestlers from protesting?
During the morning exercise session, Olympic medalist wrestler Punia said, "We are peacefully protesting and also training here. The people of the country have given us the responsibility to win medals for the country and we need to fulfill it. Police have not registered the FIR yet. So, how can the police stop us from protesting or training?"
The wrestlers have alleged that the WFI chief is now resorting to strong-arm tactics and trying to break the "victims" by issuing threats and offering bribes. Wrestlers reiterated on Tuesday that they will not leave the protest site until the WFI president, who is charged with sexual harassment, is arrested and that they have the support of a number of politicians as well as organisations representing farmers.
Vinesh Phogat asserted that Brij Bhushan, who is using Haryana Wrestling Association secretary general Rakesh and coach Mahavir Prasad Bishnoi to threaten the families of the women wrestlers who have filed complaints against the WFI chief, had access to the victims' names through Delhi Police.
SC Issues Notice To Delhi Govt
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court sent notices to the Delhi government and others regarding a plea by seven wrestlers claiming that an FIR was not registered regarding their sexual harassment claims against Birj Bhushan. The notices stated that these were "serious allegations" that needed to be taken into consideration.
The top court initially believed that the women wrestlers' plea might be scheduled for Friday. However, it decided to immediately take up the case after hearing some arguments from senior attorney Kapil Sibal, who mentioned the issue.
According to the bench, Section 156 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (police officers' power to investigate cognizable cases) typically provides a remedy for contacting the police.
Sibal claimed that seven wrestlers, one of whom was a minor, had made allegations of sexual harassment, but despite the fact that the law is very clear on this topic, no FIR has been filed as of yet.