Having waited for three months, Star wrestlers again started their protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Sunday after and said that they took the step after alleging that no action has been taken in the matter and said that the FIR has not been registered against WFI chief.
Ace India wrestler Sakshi Malik broke down while interacting with the media as wrestlers protest at Jantar Mantar. Top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia have resumed their protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
“We wanted to file a sexual harassment FIR against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Two days ago we got a complaint filed but FIR hasn’t been registered yet. There are 7 female wrestlers and one of them is a minor. We want the investigation to happen fast. It is a sensitive matter. We are being framed as liars which we cannot bear. We are waiting for two and a half months now but no one is listening. People are saying we are spent force that is why we are protesting. We just won a medal at CWG 2022,” Sakshi Malik told the media at Jantar Mantar. Top Indian wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Ravi Dahiya, and Sakshi Malik, held a sit-in protest in Jantar Mantar in January this year, demanding that Brij Bhushan be removed from the head office and Wrestling Federation of India be disbanded. They had accused the body and its chief of sexual harassment and mistreatment of wrestlers. “It is being heard that we are finished, that’s why we are protesting. For two and a half months the government has not taken any action. We cannot reveal the name of a minor. Otherwise, her name and career will get spoilt,” she added. The grapplers protested against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) in January this year. Following the protest, in January, the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the formation of an ‘oversight committee’ to probe allegations levelled against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and other coaches.