Top Indian Wrestlers Break Down As They Return To Delhi's Jantar Mantar To Protest Against WFI Ex-Chief. WATCH
Top Indian wrestlers have returned to New Delhi's Jantar Mantar to continue their protest against the Wrestling Federation of India and its then-president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, as well as World Championship medalist Vinesh Phogat, returned to New Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Sunday (April 23) to protest the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Seven female wrestlers filed a sexual harassment complaint against federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at the Connaught Place police station in Central Delhi.
In a video posted by news agency ANI, wrestler Sakshi Malik can be seen saying that a First Information Report based on the complaint has yet to be filed, and a government panel report on the issue has yet to be made public. "We want the report that contains the statements of the female wrestlers to be made public. It's a sensitive issue, and one of the complainants is a minor girl," she said, adding that the complainants' names should not be revealed," she can be seen saying in the video.
#WATCH | Delhi: Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik break down while interacting with the media as they protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh pic.twitter.com/OVsWDp2YuA
— ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2023
#WATCH | "We have been going through mental torture, it's about the respect of women athletes...We aren't receiving any response from Sports Ministry, it's been 3 months": Wrestlers protest against then WFI chief and BJP strongman Brijbhushan Singh pic.twitter.com/44qfs8APbs
— ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2023
ALSO READ | When She Leads, She Inspires — Why Wrestlers Speaking Up Is A Bold And Welcome Step
"Various female wrestlers who have brought laurels to this country have been sexually exploited and harassed by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, President, WFI," Vinesh tweeted earlier in the day. "Despite complaints on April 21, 2023, the Delhi Police is not registering the FIR," the tweet said.
@PMOIndia @DelhiPolice, @NCWIndia @DCPNewDelhi , @PMO_NaMo, @IndiaSports, @India_NHRC, @SupremeCourtIND, @MLJ_GoI, @timesofindia, @ThePrintIndia pic.twitter.com/cGvY9tAyie
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) April 23, 2023
This comes three months after they first sat in protest at Jantar Mantar (on January 18). There, they accused Singh and the federation of sexual exploitation, mental harassment, death threats, and financial misappropriation, among other things.
ALSO READ | Wrestlers' Harassment Row: Women's Panel Chief Issues Notice To Delhi Police Over 'Failure To File FIR'
Following that, the Sports Ministry intervened and formed an investigation committee to both investigate the wrestlers' complaints and take over the day-to-day operations of the WFI. At the time, the wrestlers expressed their dissatisfaction with the government's failure to consult them before forming the oversight committee. The committee's report submission deadline had been extended from four weeks to six weeks.
"It's been three months and we haven't gotten justice," wrestler Vinesh said on Sunday. "That is why we have returned to demand justice. We will sleep and eat here until justice is served," she added.
Delhi | It's been 3 months, and we haven't got justice, that's why we are protesting again. We demand justice, FIR has not been registered yet. We are grateful that DCW is supporting us: Wrestler Vinesh Phogat on DCW's notice to Delhi Police for reportedly failing to register FIR… https://t.co/j7gWJNeeBn pic.twitter.com/cvSyCTV3JF
— ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2023
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