Former wrestler and BJP leader Babita Phogat has come out in support of the wrestlers who are on a 'dharna' in Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in protest against the Wrestling Federation of India President and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Phogat arrived at the protest site this morning with a “message from the government”, wrestler Bajrang Punia said. “We will speak with her and then give more details,” he told the media on Thursday.
Phogat assured the wrestlers that the government is with them. “I will try to ensure that their issues are resolved today,” she said.
The sports ministry has demanded a response from WFI to the allegations within 72 hours.
"Taking cognizance of the protest staged by wrestlers, including Olympic and CWG medalists in Delhi...in which wrestlers have levelled serious charges of sexual harassment of women wrestlers by the President and coaches of the WFI and of mismanagement in the functioning of the federation, the Sports Ministry has sought an explanation from WFI and directed it to furnish a reply within the next 72 hours on the allegations made," the statement said.
The ministry also said that if the WFI fails to provide a reply within the given time, they will initiate action in accordance with the provisions of the National Sports Development Code, 2011.
In an emotional press conference last evening following a sit-in protest since morning, Vinesh Phogat - world championship medallist and Olympian – had accused Singh of sexually exploiting women wrestlers for several years and sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for his removal.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Punia added that the federation is being run in an arbitrary manner and they will not compete in any international competition unless the WFI president is removed.
Vinesh also said that several coaches at the national camp in Lucknow, too, have exploited women wrestlers, adding that there are a few women at the camp who approach wrestlers at the behest of the WFI president.
Rio Olympics medallist Sakshi Malik, world championship medallist Sarita Mor, Sangeeta Phogat, Satyawart Kadian, Jitender Kinha and CWG medallist Sumit Malik were among the 30 wrestlers who assembled at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old clarified that she herself has not faced such exploitation but claimed that she had received death threats at the behest of WFI president from officials close to him because she dared to draw PM Modi's attention to several issues plaguing Indian wrestling when she met him after the Tokyo Games.
"I know at least 10-12 women wrestlers who have told me about the sexual exploitation they faced at the hands of (the) WFI President. They told me their stories. I can't take their names now but I can definitely reveal the names if we get to meet the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of the country," Vinesh said addressing the media after staging a four-hour dharna at Jantar Mantar.
Singh, however, denied all allegations. "Sexual harassment allegations against the chief coach and me are baseless. My home is some 120 km away from camp," he was quoted as saying by ANI. "Why didn't they have any problems with the federation for the past 10 years. Wrestlers are angry over rule changes,” he said.
Singh has been at the helm since 2011. He was elected president of WFI for the third consecutive time in February 2019.
