As Supreme Court closes wrestlers’ case, protesters say they won't back down

His house is barely 100 metres away from the protest site. A site where the crowd of supporters is welling by the day, a site which has a huge poster of the detailed list of criminal cases against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. A site where three Olympian wrestlers —Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat—are sitting on a dharna for over ten days now, demanding the WFI chief’s arrest for alleged sexual harassment of junior women wrestlers. He remains defiant so far. His house at the beginning of the Jantar Mantar Lane is heavily guarded by police even as he camps at his native place in Gaunda, UP. A small group of protesters gather outside his house time and again and raise slogans against him but are quickly dispersed by the battery of cops posted there.

The Supreme Court gave its verdict on Thursday morning. The Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud led a three-judge bench that closed the matter after it expressed satisfaction that FIRs have been registered by the Delhi Police against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Singh over alleged sexual harassment of junior women wrestlers. The bench noted that the petition was filed seeking FIR and with the same being registered, the purpose has been served.

However, Singh remains defiant and has not returned to Delhi nor shown a willingness to be part of any interrogation. The protesting trio of wrestlers—Punia, Malik and Phogat—meanwhile have not lost heart over the developments. They have taken to the streets with one goal in mind – to see the WFI president behind bars. The mood at Jantar Mantar, the protest site for over ten days now, was far from despondent when news of SC verdict came.

After the apex court announced its decision on Thursday morning, the wrestlers welcomed its decision and said they will not be deterred and will continue the fight. “ We respect the Supreme Court order, protest will continue," Rio Olympics bronze medallist Malik said.

"Supreme Court order is not a setback, it did what it could in this matter," she added.

The wrestlers further said they will decide on the future course of action after consulting their seniors. “We have all options open, will decide after consulting seniors," Phogat said.

“If you have any further grievances, you can very well approach the high court or the jurisdictional magistrate," the bench said, adding that it is closing the proceedings for now.

Back at the protest site, the crowds started swelling. Students, women’s rights groups, and villagers from Delhi and Haryana started pouring in, expressing solidarity with the wrestlers.

Leaders from various parties started coming over and expressing their solidarity with the protesting sportspersons. Deepender Hooda of Congress, Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan of Bhim Army and Rakesh Tikait of Bhartiya Kisan Union came over on Thursday evening to lend support.

On Wednesday evening, before the SC verdict, Punia and Malik had a small chat with the media persons present. They were neither scarred nor willing to end their protests.

“ Hum koi bhi qurbani dene ko taiyyar hain (we are ready to make any sacrifice ) Punia said when asked whether he was prepared for the worst when taking on a strongman not just of Uttar Pradesh but of the ruling BJP. “ We have thought of the worst possible scenario but we never thought we would get so much support,” he added. “Hum political fight nahin lad rahe, nahin hain jo aata hai woh Bharat ki beti ko support karne aata hai. We have removed all issues political in our fight; the main issue is sexual harassment,” he said.

Sakshi Malik said, “Yeh jeet jayein olympic medal se bhi bada hai (if we win this fight it will be bigger than winning an Olympic medal). ”

Asked how tough was this particular fight per her, Malik said, “We start preparing 3-4 days before competition, we keep watch on our weight, we even measure our drinking water before the event, yahan aisi feel nahin. Yahan kya struggle hai ? we don't consider this as struggle,” she said.

They sit, lie down chat softly under a makeshift tent, going to a nearby hotel room only to wash and change. It has not been easy for the last couple of nights. They had a fracas with cops which turned ugly on Thursday night. But they stay unfazed, supporting each other. They know the fight is long and hard.

They have only one demand—arrest the WFI chief; bring him to book for offenses allegedly committed.