The Delhi Police on Sunday provided security to all seven women wrestlers who have lodged complaints against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh even as the protesting grapplers accused the media of helping Singh more than the players, saying newspersons should not give the WFI chief the platform to speak. In a boost to the top sportspersons, the farmers body Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday expressed solidarity with them and demanded immediate arrest of the BJP MP. A delegation of SKM leaders visited the protest site, met the wrestlers and conveyed the support of the SKM to them. Meanwhile, the Athletes Commission of the IOA has recommended the national Olympic body to put systems in place to deal with issues of the players “with respect and dignity” in the light of the protest by them against Singh.
The Athletes Commission of the Indian Olympic Association met on Saturday to discuss the ongoing protest. by the wrestlers who have made sexual harassment and intimidation charges against Singh.
On Sunday, sources said that the Delhi Police has also called all the women wrestlers to join the probe and get their 161 CrPC statement recorded so that they could decide the future course of action.
Sources said that in a day or two the women wrestlers can come to Delhi Police’s Connaught Place Police Station to get their statements recorded.
Meanwhile, Bajrang Punia said that the media is supporting BJP MP more than the players. “You see his criminal records.
Does any player, sitting here, or players from other sports, have criminal record?” Bajrang asked during a media interaction. “The players win medals for the country, and he is questioning the medal winners. How many people become MPs in this country, and how many people win Olympic medals. To date, there are hardly 40 Olympic medallists, and thousands have become MPs,” he said.
Vinesh Phogat said Brij Bhushan’s charge that the wrestlers are involved in politics is baseless. On the other hand, the WFI chief took a jibe on the protesting wrestlers, saying “you don’t get justice from Jantar Mantar.
If you want justice, you have to go to the Police, court. They never did that until now. We will accept whatever the court decides…”
Singh also claimed that only a “few families and girls” have levelled allegations against him.
“90 per cent of the athletes & guardians of Haryana trust the WFI. A few families & the girls who have levelled allegations belonged to the same ‘akhada’…The patron of that ‘akhada’ is Deepender Hooda,” he added.
Singh said that this battle has gone beyond the athletes now as political parties have become part of it. “From day one of the protest, I felt that this protest was politically motivated and not the voice of the athletes. They have been influenced by politicians. It is clear that these athletes are being used by Congress and other opposition parties. It’s evident since the beginning that their (protesting wrestlers) motive is politics, not (my) resignation,” he said.
Politicians such as Congress party’s Priyanka Gandhi and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Chaudhary, former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, Delhi government ministers Atishi Singh and Suarbah Bhardwaj have visited the protest site to extend their support to the athletes in the last few days. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s husband, Robert Vadra, also reached the Jantar Mantar to extend his support to the protesting wrestlers.
Meanwhile, Olympic medallist and wrestler, Yogeshwar Dutt, who is also a member of the committee that probed the allegations of sexual harassment of wrestlers said grapplers now should focus on their sport as FIR has been lodged against Singh.