Wrestlers protest at Jantar Mantar demanding resignation and action against Wrestling federation chief ruling party MP
The wrestlers of India have united themselves in their war against the MP and president of Indian Wrestling Federation Brijbhushan Sharan Singh belonging to the ruling party, after the wrestler Vinesh Phogat has raised her voice accusing the MP for alleged sexual assault and threat with dire consequences.
Good number of wrestlers including the alleged victim Vinesh Phogat and Olympic Bronze medal winner Bajrang Punia are staging Dharna at Jantar Jantar since yesterday with Punia saying that there struggle is to protect the wrestling game from going down.
In two of his tweets international Indian wrestler and Olympic Bronze medal winner Bajranj Punia expressed his resentment writing in Hindi : The athletes work tirelessly hard to bag medal for the country but the Federation has done nothing except insulting us. The athletes are being oppressed by imposing on them self made bylaws. In another tweet he wrote : The job of the Federation is to cooperate the athletes, to fulfil their sports related needs. If there is any difficulty, it is its duty to resolve it. But what to do if the Federation itself creates problems. Now is the time to fight it out. We won’t back out – tweeted Bajrang Punia.
The CPM leader and former MP Brinda Karat who had gone to Jantar Jantar to express her solidarity and wanted to address the protesting wrestlers was asked to step down from the stage by Bajrang Punia saying Mam please don’t politicise the issue as this is the Dharna of the protesting athletes.
Meanwhile, the former chief minister of Haryana and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday stood in favour of the protesting wrestlers demanding immediate action by the government against those responsible saying that it is a matter of great misfortune and shame that our players, the pride of the country have to protest on streets to seek justice.
Sakshi Malik the Olympic wrestler expressed her disenchantment over government action of mere assurance saying we are not happy.
She made a request to prime minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter and give them due justice.
The International wrestler and Olympic bronze medal winner Bajrang Punia went to the extent of saying that they have sufficient evidence to prove our charges and 5 to 6 women wrestlers are here who are also protesting.
In a video he said now is the time to protect our wrestling. If not now than never he added.
The alleged victim wrestler Vinesh Phogat demanded the resignation of the chief of Indian wrestling federation Brij Bhushan Singh and getting him jailed saying that they haven’t received any satisfactory demand from the government.
Prominent amongst those present in this protest sit in at Jantar Mantar were : Olympic Bronze winner Bajrang Punia, victim national wrestler Vinesh Phogat, Rio Olympics medallist Sakshi Malik, World Championship winner Sarita Mor, Sangeeta Phogat, CWG medallist Sumit Malik, Jitendra Malik etc.
The National Congress Party too stood with the wrestlers expressing their solidarity and demanding action against the chief of the wrestling federation.
