New Delhi:

Top Indian wrestlers who earlier this yr protested towards the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, and different trainers, accusing them of sexually exploiting girls wrestlers, are again at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar with a recent police grievance. Seven girls wrestlers have filed a sexual harassment grievance towards federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on the Connaught Place police station in Central Delhi.

A First Information Report based mostly on the grievance is but to be filed, wrestler Sakshee Malikkh stated, including that they’re pissed off {that a} authorities panel report on the problem hasn’t been made public but. “We want the report, which has recorded women wrestlers’ statement, to be public. It’s a sensitive issue, one of the complainants is a minor girl,” she stated, including that names of the complainants should not be leaked.

“We won’t leave from here until Brij Bhushan is arrested,” Bajrang Punia, one other high wrestler, stated.

Vinesh Phogat stated they are not getting any response from the federal government regardless of repeated makes an attempt. “We are going to sleep and eat here till we get justice.

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

Podium से फुटपाथ तक।

आधी रात खुले आसमान के नीचे न्याय की आस में। pic.twitter.com/rgaVTM5WGK

— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) April 23, 2023

We have been trying to contact them (Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and other relevant authority) for three months. The members of the committee are not responding to us, sports ministry has also not said anything, they don’t even pick up our calls. We have won medals for the country and have put our careers at stake for this,” she stated.

The Sports Ministry had fashioned a five-member oversight committee, headed by legendary boxer MC Mary Kom, on January 23 and requested it to submit its findings in a single month. Later, it prolonged the deadline by two weeks and in addition added Babita Phogat to the probe panel as its sixth member on the insistence of the protesting wrestlers.

The committee submitted its report within the first week of April, however the ministry is but to make its findings public. However, sources stated the wrestlers couldn’t show the sexual harassment allegations towards the WFI boss after a number of hearings.

The wrestlers had earlier stated they didn’t need to take the authorized route as a result of that they had religion within the Prime Minister, however had warned of going to the police if the federal government did not act. They stated they weren’t happy with talks on the Sports Ministry brokered by Olympian Babita Phogat, a member of the BJP and a part of the Haryana authorities. Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had additionally met the wrestlers over the problem, and known as the allegations “serious”.

The Delhi Commission for Women, an area physique that appears after girls’s points, has issued a discover to Delhi Police for failing to register an FIR within the matter. The wrestlers had complained to the Commission that they’ve given a written grievance to the Delhi Police two days again, however their FIR has not been registered to this point.

“The complainant has informed the Commission that several women wrestlers including a minor have alleged that the accused person has indulged in the crime of sexual harassment against them during his tenure at the Wrestling Federation of India,” DCW chief Swati Maliwal stated.

It claimed that the complainant knowledgeable the Commission that as a substitute of an FIR being filed within the matter, a number of the complainants and their relations have began getting telephone calls enquiring concerning the identities of the complainants from an IPS officer posted within the Sports Ministry.

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who’s a BJP MP, has refuted the costs. “All the sexual harassment allegations are false, and I will commit suicide if they are found to be true,” the 66-year-old was earlier quoted as saying by information company ANI. The federation stated that the athletes who’ve levelled sexual harassment prices towards the WFI chief have a hidden agenda.

Awaiting a report by a authorities panel on the sexual harassment allegations towards him, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has stated that he is not going to contest for the president’s put up in WFI election on May 7 however hinted that he may search for a brand new function throughout the federation. He has served three four-year phrases as president in a row and in response to the Sports Code after finishing 12 years as WFI chief, he’s ineligible to contest for the highest put up.

The protest started on January 18 with triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, one in all India’s most embellished girls wrestlers, went public with the costs. Ms Phogat stated she by no means confronted such exploitation herself, however claimed many wrestlers have been intimidated from coming ahead due to their humble backgrounds.

The elite wrestlers had stated they weren’t happy after talks with the federal government and “won’t wrestle another day” until their calls for are met. Alleging mismanagement within the functioning of the federation, they demanded an entire overhaul of the federation.

Vinesh Phogat, 28, made the allegations towards Mr Singh and trainers at a public protest in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, backed by a number of different high wrestlers like Bajrang Punia, Sakshee Malikkh, Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia. “Women wrestlers have been sexually harassed at national camps by coaches and also the WFI president. I know at least 10-20 girls in the national camp who have come and told me their stories,” she stated, tearing up.

Brij Bhushan earlier this month stated it was laughable what the wrestlers stated throughout the federal government panel hearings.

“I could not stop laughing what these wrestlers were saying. If I had anything inappropriate with Sakshi Malik, then why did she invite me to her wedding. They come to me with their personal matters and also family issues.

“They sit with my son and daughter-in-law and have meals collectively, and now out of the blue they’re alleging that I’ve harassed them. If that is the case, why do they arrive to my residence?” The WFI boss said the federation will not have revenge in mind when the issue is sorted.