It looks like the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is staring down at controversy again as top Indian wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and others are back at Jantar Mantar to re-start their protest against the outfit.
"We have just one issue. The reason for the protest is that nothing has been done so far...We are here to save wrestling. We will sit at 4 pm and talk," wrestler Bajrang Punia told ANI.
Over three months after the wrestlers called off the protests after receiving assurances from Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, they have reached Jantar Mantar again.
"Yes, absolutely - at Connaught Place Police Station," Punia said when asked if a Police complaint has been filed. Several women wrestlers have filed a FIR against WFI officials at the Connaught Place police station.
The wrestlers reportedly feel cheated and could continue protests till WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh isn't sacked.
Head of Delhi Commission for Women Swati Maliwal in a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Maliwal demanded that an FIR be filed against Brij Bhushan. Maliwal has said that “several women including a minor have alleged that the accused person has indulged in the crime of sexual harassment against them during his tenure at the helm of the Wrestling Federation of India”.
Several leading wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat have expressed their discontentment that the findings of the government-appointed Oversight Committee have not been made public yet. The committee, which was formed on January 23 to probe the allegations levelled against Brij Bhushan by the wrestlers is headed by Mary Kom.
