NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s high feminine wrestlers led a candlelight march of almost 1,000 protesters within the capital on Tuesday demanding the resignation and arrest of the president of the wrestling federation for allegedly sexually harassing younger athletes, one in every of whom was a minor.

Carrying India’s nationwide flag, they marched to India Gate, a monument near the nation’s parliament constructing. A powerful presence of police accompanied them on the marching route.

The protesters have been staging a protest within the heart of New Delhi for almost a month, amid a brutal warmth wave, whereas foregoing their coaching schedules. Two Olympics medalists, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, are a part of the protests and have threatened handy again their medals if no motion is taken towards Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The protests have grown with many members of opposition events and farmer unions taking on the wrestlers’ trigger. Most of the Indian wrestlers come from the northern agricultural states of Haryana and Punjab.

They accused Singh, a 66-year-old highly effective lawmaker representing the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, of sexually harassing seven younger feminine wrestlers.

Supporters of India’s high feminine wrestlers shout slogans in entrance of the landmark India Gate monument throughout a protest march towards Wrestling Federation of India President Brijbhushan Sharan Singh in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, May, 23, 2023. India’s high feminine wrestlers led a candlelight march of almost 1,000 protesters within the capital on Tuesday demanding the resignation and arrest of the president of the wrestling federation for allegedly sexually harassing younger athletes, one in every of whom was a minor. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Altaf Qadri

Supporters of India’s high feminine wrestlers are stopped simply wanting the landmark India Gate monument throughout a protest march towards Wrestling Federation of India President Brijbhushan Sharan Singh in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, May, 23, 2023. India’s high feminine wrestlers led a candlelight march of almost 1,000 protesters within the capital on Tuesday demanding the resignation and arrest of the president of the wrestling federation for allegedly sexually harassing younger athletes, one in every of whom was a minor. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Altaf Qadri

Indian wrestlers, from left, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sakshee Malikkh stand on a police barricade as they communicate to their supporters close to landmark India Gate monument throughout a protest march towards Wrestling Federation of India President Brijbhushan Sharan Singh in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, May, 23, 2023. India’s high feminine wrestlers led a candlelight march of almost 1,000 protesters within the capital on Tuesday demanding the resignation and arrest of the president of the wrestling federation for allegedly sexually harassing younger athletes, one in every of whom was a minor. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Altaf Qadri

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Singh has denied the accusations and known as the protests “politically motivated” by the opposition Congress occasion.

Vinesh Phogat, who has received wrestling medals on the world championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, claimed in January that a number of coaches have exploited feminine wrestlers on the behest of the WFI president.

Indian police are investigating the allegations of sexual harassment towards Singh, and he has been questioned within the case. India’s Supreme Court has additionally acknowledged that the case includes “serious allegations of sexual harassment,” however it has been met with silence from the ruling occasion leaders, together with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

After their preliminary protest in January, Indian Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur requested the president of the federation to step apart and assist in finishing up the probe. He additionally mentioned a committee could be set as much as examine the allegations and a report will likely be launched in 4 weeks.

Singh continues to go the federation and no report has been launched within the months since. The girls returned to their protest in April and have mentioned they won’t transfer till Singh is arrested.

“Our fight for justice seems like it has been forever because the wheels of justice have moved very slowly,” Phogat wrote in The Indian Express newspaper Tuesday.

The case has once more highlighted the #MeToo motion in India, which picked up tempo in 2018 when a spate of actresses and writers flooded social media with allegations of sexual harassment and assault.

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