India’s top wrestlers protesting for the fourth day at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi alleged that threats of dire consequences and inducements of money were being made to the seven women wrestlers who had filed separate complaints to Delhi police against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP from Kaiserganj Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, reported The Indian Express.
After a gap of three months, the award-winning wrestlers are back at the protest site demanding that the report of the Oversight Committee headed by boxing legend Mary Kom be made public. Unlike in January, when they sat in protest till dusk and returned the next morning, this time they are sleeping at the protest site.
Two-time World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat on Tuesday said that the threats were made to “break the resolve” of the protesting wrestlers, while Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia alleged that Singh’s aides were threatening one of the complainants, who is a minor.
He alleged that one of the people who is threatening is a coach who is a Dronacharya-award winner and the other is the secretary of the Haryana Wrestling Association.
“They went to her house and are putting pressure on the family and also offered money. They want her to take the complaint back. Those women wrestlers who have filed complaints against the WFI president are being threatened too,” he said at Jantar Mantar on the third day of the protest.
On Friday, the wrestlers had filed the complaints at the Connaught Place Police Station in New Delhi, and according to reports they have cited several instances of sexual harassment from 2012-2022.
Vinesh alleged that the names of the complainants have been leaked to the WFI chief.
“If a girl makes a complaint of sexual harassment, what should the police do? There needs to be an FIR, an arrest should be made under POCSO (The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act). But why have the police not done these basic things so far? And now the complainants are being threatened and being asked to withdraw the case,” Vinesh said.
On Monday, the government had shared the “major findings” of the Oversight Committee, however, charges against Singh were not disclosed.
The protestors are also finding support from several quarters, including politicians and farm leaders. Former Haryana chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Communist Party of India leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Brinda Karat and Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Reena Gupta were among those who met the wrestlers on Tuesday.
“The question is why those athletes, who should have been at a stadium, are being forced to sit in protest at Jantar Mantar. There needs to be a thorough investigation into the matter. The athletes need to get justice and my full support is with them,” Hooda tweeted.
Meanwhile, terming the allegations of sexual harassment against the WFI president as “serious”, the Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to Delhi Police on a petition filed by seven wrestlers seeking the registration of an FIR against him.