WFI Elections Put on Hold Amid Stir; Wrestlers Move SC Against Brij Bhushan, Seek Support from Parties

A day after the protest over the issue of sexual harassment allegations against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh resumed at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, protesting wrestlers have moved the Supreme Court seeking FIR against the wrestling body chief.

Delhi Police, meanwhile, has sought report from the sports ministry in regards to the status of the oversight committee.

A six-member oversight committee was formed in January this year by the sports ministry after discussions with the wrestlers over the allegations against WFI chief. The committee, headed by boxer Mary Kom, was supposed to look after day to day activities of WFI.

Protesting wrestlers, meanwhile, spent the night on footpath in their stir against Brij Bhushan. The wrestlers who had called off their protest earlier this year after assurances that a committee would probe the allegations, say that they will remain at the protest site till police file a complaint against the WFI chief.

Latest Updates in Wrestlers Vs Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Row:

-Take Action Against Us If We’re Lying, Say Protesting Wrestlers: The wrestlers protesting over the issue of allegations of sexual harassment against WFI chief, in an open challenge, said action must be taken if they are found lying, adding that WFI president Brij Bhushan should be dealt with if he is found wrong.

“Take action against us if we are lying, take against against Bhushan if he is found wrong,” the wrestlers said in a press conference on Monday.

On moving Supreme Court seeking FIR against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the wrestlers said an FIR has not been registered yet even after three days. “We want it to be lodged fairly. We want status on the oversight committee,” they said.

“We are open for the support. We seek the support of the political parties. Last time we did not take any support as we were misguided,” the wrestlers added.

-Wrestlers Address PC at Jantar Mantar: Addressing a press conference at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, protesting wrestlers appreciated the media support and vowed to “not to do anything wrong”.

“Will always fight for the truth,” they said.

On WFI elections getting postponed, the wrestlers said they are not bothered about that. “We are not going to be trapped in their words. We won’t get deceived now. We are hardly bothered about elections. Our fight is over the sexual harassment allegations,” they said.

-WFI Elections Put On Hold: Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections that were supposed to take place soon have been put on hold amid row over allegations against body’s president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Sports ministry also confirmed the same later and said in a notification that WFI election which was to be held on May 7 now stands postponed.

Indian Olympic Association will, meanwhile, constitute an ad-hoc committee to conduct elections of the Executive Committee of WFI within 45 days of its formation and to manage the day-to-day affairs of the wrestling body.

-Wrestlers Move SC Against WFI Chief Brij Bhushan: Protesting wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat and six others have moved Supreme Court seeking registration of FIR against BJP MP & WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan.

Senior advocate Narendra Hooda made an unlisted mentioning, hence, the CJI asked him to mention the matter again tomorrow.

The petition alleges that there is an inordinate delay in the registration of FIR against Sharan even after serious charges, including that of Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO), have been pressed against him.

DCW Chief Swati Maliwal Reacts to Picture of Protesters Sleeping on Footpath: Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal reacted to the picture of protesting wrestlers sleeping on footpath.

Taking to Twitter, Maliwal wrote, “Those who raised the glory of the Tricolor on foreign soil, why are they being insulted like this today?”

No Support from Anyone, Says Sakshi Malik: Wrestlers Sakshi Malik, who is among the protesters, said there has been no support from anyone.

“We are here since last night, there is no support from anyone. But there is hope, we are sitting to fight for justice,” said Sakshi Malik.

-Wrestlers to hold PC at 2:30 PM: Protesting wrestlers will hold a press conference in Delhi at 2:30 pm today.

-Delhi Police Seeks Report from Oversight Committee: Delhi police has sought report from the sports ministry in regards to the status of the oversight committee. A six-member oversight committee, headed by Mary Kom, was formed by the sports ministry after discussions with the wrestlers.

The committee was supposed to look after day-to-day activities of WFI.

Apart from Mary Kom, the other members of the Oversight Committee are Olympic medallist-wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, former badminton player and Mission Olympic Cell member Trupti Murgunde, former CEO of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme Rajesh Rajagopalan, and former Sports Authority of India executive director (teams) Radhica Sreeman.

-‘All Parties Welcome…’: Protesting Wrestlers in Delhi Change Stance | The protesting wrestlers, who in January had request Left leader Brinda Karat to leave the stage calling their stir an “athletes protest”, have said that this time all parties are welcome to join them.

“This time, all parties are welcome to join our protest whether it is BJP, Congress, AAP or any other party…..we’re not affiliated with any party…”, Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia said on Monday.

-‘Podium to Footpath…’: Vinesh Phogat on Wrestlers’ Protest | Triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, who in January went public with the allegations, shared a picture through a tweet of wrestlers sleeping on a footpath.

“From podium to footpath,” Phogat tweeted sharing a picture of wrestlers sleeping on a footpath.

Vinesh Phogat said they aren’t getting any response from the government despite repeated attempts. “We are going to sleep and eat here till we get justice.”

–Wrestlers Resume Protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar: Top Indian wrestlers resumed their protest on Sunday over the issue of sexual harassment allegations against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The Delhi Police said it has received seven complaints from them and was conducting an inquiry, even as it was issued a notice by the Delhi Commission For Women for failing to register an FIR in the matter.

Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and other wrestlers returned to the protest site at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, demanding that the government make public the findings of the oversight panel that investigated the allegations against the WFI chief.

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