New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with the wrestlers protesting in the capital since April at his Delhi residence late Saturday night.
According to the sources, the meeting lasted for two hours till midnight in which wrestlers demanded a fair probe and a strong chargesheet against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexual harassment and misconduct by many female wrestlers, including one minor.
A delegation of protesting wrestlers including Olympic medalist Bajarang Punia and Sakshi Malik and World Championship medalist, Vinesh Phogat along with several couches were present at the meeting with Home Minister. “We met with the Home Minister today. We can’t share the further details”, said Bajrang Punia after the meeting.
The meeting happened just a night before a five-day deadline given by the wrestlers to the government to take action against Singh. Report says the home minister assured that the law remains the same for everyone. “…due process needs to be followed”, he said in the meeting according to the sources.
The protest started in April at Jantar Mantar by the country’s top wrestlers against the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Singh, who is accused of sexual misconduct by several top female wrestlers, including a minor. At the forefront front of this protest are Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and World Championship medalist Vinesh Phogat.
The Delhi Police filed two FIR on April 28 that level some serious allegations against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh. The FIR included the charges of demanding sexual favours from the female wrestlers for giving professional benefits, around fifteen instances of sexual harassment including inappropriate touching (10 instances), molestation including touching of Naval, putting a hand over the breast, hugging forcibly, pulling the T-shirt of women wrestlers on the pretext to check breathing, several instances of intimidation that include stalking.
The Delhi Police is still carrying out the investigation. It has so far recorded the statement of more than 100 people including top couches of the federation, Olympians and Commonwealth medalists who are believed to be the witnesses in the case.
On May 27, a high-level meeting happened between protesting wrestlers and several union minters and it did not yield any solution. The protesting wrestlers then decided to move outside the new parliament for the protest on the day of its inauguration. They were stopped and mishandled by the Delhi police and also detained. The Delhi police filed FIR against wrestlers under multiple sections including rioting.
In response, protesting wrestlers decided to go to Haridwar to “immerse” their medals into Ganga as part of the protest. However, they changed their mind after reaching Haridwar with the intervention of farmer leader Naresh Tikait who also came to Haridwar and persuaded the wrestlers to not drop their medals into the Ganga.
WFI chief has denied all the allegation level against him by the female wrestlers. Taking to the media last week, Singh said, ”If a single allegation against me is proven, I will hang myself. If you (wrestlers) have any evidence, present it to the Court, and I am ready to accept any punishment”.
Naresh Tikait in Khap Panchayat gave an ultimatum to the central government to arrest the WFI chief before 9 June or be ready for a larger protest in the capital.
On the International front, the United World Wrestling (UWW), a sports governing body has condemned the detention of wrestlers by Delhi Police and citizen for the “lack of result” in the investigation. The body has reminded the Indian Olympic Association of its promise to hold a fresh election for the WFI chief within 45 days. UWW warned IOA of suspension if the election is not conducted on time.