Wrestlers vs WFI chief: Grapplers demand justice from court, not bothered by Oversight Committee
Indian wrestlers are approaching 30 days of their protests against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Meanwhile, Vinesh Phogat has asserted that they are only concerned about getting justice from the court and not bothered about the Oversight Committee.
FollowThe protesting wrestlers on Wednesday said that they are no longer concerned about the findings of the Oversight Committee constituted by the Sports Ministry and expect justice only from the court. The Sports Ministry had constituted a six-member panel headed by legendary boxer MC Mary Kom on January 23 and asked it to submit its findings on the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by women grapplers against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI ) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The committee submitted its report in the first week of April, but the ministry is yet to make the findings public. Asked whether she was aware of the conclusions of the Oversight Committee, 2018 Jakarta Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat said, "That is past. We are not deliberating or thinking about what the committee has done or hasn't. The duration of the committee was three months...it's over now, and the fight has gone to court. So, we will focus on that," said Vinesh.
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The protest by India's top wrestlers, including Vinesh, Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, who are demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan for allegedly sexually harassing seven women grapplers, entered its 25th day with no solution in sight. On Wednesday, the grapplers and their supporters took a procession from Jantar Mantar to Bangla Sahib Gurudwara and offered prayers there.
"We are confident we will win the fight for justice. We will make our best effort so that the global wrestling community knows about our plight and reaches out to athletes in other disciplines. No country has remained untouched by incidents of sexual harassment in sport," added Vinesh.
She added that the decision to be taken by the senior khap panchayat leaders on May 21 would be crucial in their fight against Brij Bhushan. "Whatever decision is taken by our elders on May 21 [the deadline set by the wrestlers for concrete action against Brij Bhushan] will be binding on us. They will chart our future course of action," said Vinesh.
She also criticised those people who were trying to give the agitation of the wrestlers a political colour. "This protest is not a platform for political parties. Every citizen of the country is free to visit Jantar Mantar. We welcome everyone at the protest site without discriminating on party, religion or caste lines," she said.
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The wrestlers had on Tuesday visited the Hanuman temple near Connaught Place accompanied by Bhim Army president Chandrashekhar Azad and hundreds of supporters. Briefing the media after the march, Olympic and World Championship medallist Bajrang Punia had appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and ensure justice for the female wrestlers. The wrestlers had also indicated that they might take their agitation to Ram Lila ground to make it a "national movement".
