Amid the ongoing protests by India’s top wrestlers in the national capital over sexual harassment allegations on Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the United World Wrestling (UWW) on Tuesday condemned the detention of India’s top wrestlers during their protest in Jantar Mantar.
The world body said it is following the developments in India with “great concern”. “UWW firmly condemns the treatment and detention of the wrestlers. It expresses its disappointment over the lack of results of the investigations so far. UWW urges the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations,” a statement read.
On a drama-filled Tuesday, Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat arrived in Haridwar, accompanied by hundreds of supporters, threatening to immerse their World and Olympic medals in the holy Ganges, but refrained, and gave a five-day ultimatum to act against the WFI chief.
The whole episode was reminiscent of the 1960 incident when the legendary Muhammad Ali, then Cassius Clay, threw his Olympic gold medal into the Ohio river to protest racial segregation in the US.
Here are the top developments from the wrestlers’ protest:
– India’s top wrestlers arrived at the Har ki Pauri in Haridwar threatening to immerse their World and Olympic medals in the Ganges. They however refrained after being convinced by Khap and farmer leaders, including farmer leader Naresh Tikait, and gave a five-day ultimatum to address their grievances.
-Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Tuesday responded to the protesting wrestlers saying that the charges against him are already being probed by the Delhi Police. “The matter is under investigation by the Delhi Police. If there’s any truth to the charges (levelled against him by the wrestlers), an arrest will be made,” the WFI chief told reporters, as quoted by ANI.
-“Today, they went to Haridwar to immerse their medals in the Ganga. But later, they handed them to Tikait. It’s their stand, what can we do?” said Brij Bhushan.
-The United World Wrestling (UWW) condemned the detention of India’s top wrestlers during their protest in Jantar Mantar. Unprecedented scenes of police dragging Olympic and world championships medallists, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat, were witnessed when the wrestlers and their supporters breached the security cordon during their march towards the new Parliament building, which was being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for the planned women’s ‘Mahapanchayat’ on Sunday.
-Farmers’ outfit Samyukta Kisan Morcha called for nationwide demonstrations on June 1 in support of wrestlers.
-Samyukta Kisan Morcha will also hold demonstrations and burn effigies of the WFI chief on June 5.
– On the same day, on June 5, a group of seers in Ayodhya announced a rally next week in support of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The seers said they will also protest against the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which they claim “has many loopholes and defective clauses”.
-Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Narendra Modi government of being “anti-daughter” for protecting those accused of sexual exploitation and not standing with the “daughters” who brought pride to the country.
-Legendary Anil Kumble also expressed his concern and said he is “dismayed” by the treatment meted out to the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar. “Dismayed to hear about what transpired on the 28th of May with our wrestlers being manhandled. Anything can be resolved through proper dialogue. Hoping for a resolution at the earliest,” tweeted Kumble.
-Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “The whole country is stupefied. There are tears in the eyes of the whole country. Now the prime minister should shed arrogance.”
-Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said it was shameful for the country that wrestlers had to go to Haridwar to immerse their medals in the Ganga to protest. “After being fed up with the Central government, the international medal-winning wrestlers going to Haridwar to immerse their medals in Ganga is very shameful for the country,” Mann said in his tweet. He said if a collective voice is not raised in time “next we will be immersing the ashes of the country’s democracy”.
-It all started on January 18 this year, when the Indian wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, sat on a protest near Jantar Mantar against the WFI and its chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The wrestlers accused the WFI president and unnamed coaches of sexually abusing women athletes and also issuing death threats.
-They called off their protests on January 21, after receiving assurances from the Sports Ministry that their grievances would be addressed and an Oversight Committee would be formed to probe the wrestlers’ allegations against the WFI chief.
-Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, his wife Sangeeta Phogat, and Sakshi Malik return to Jantar Mantar on April 23 to continue their protest against the WFI and Brij Bhushan. The wrestlers said that they had submitted a complaint at New Delhi’s Connaught Place police station two days ago, but the police were yet to file an FIR.