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The court will do its work, says Brij Bhushan soon after wrestlers withdraw protest

June 26, 2023, 12:06 pm

Former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh claimed on Monday that the case against him for alleged sexual harassment is now in court and will be heard soon.

“I do not want to comment on this as it is now under the court’s consideration. The matter is in the court, and the court will do its work,” Singh told reporters.

Singh’s remark came after the protesting wrestlers announced to withdraw their protest against him, stating that the government has fulfilled its promise of filing a chargesheet against the Chief of WFI, a six-time BJP MP whom they have accused of sexual harassment.

Top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, in a few similar tweets stated that the fight will now be fought in court, not on the roads. Malik took to Twitter on Sunday to state that the “battle will now be fought in court and not on roads till justice is delivered.”

The tweets posted by 3 main wrestlers reads “As per the talks held on June 7, the government has implemented our demands. The Delhi Police on June 15 had submitted before the court the chargesheet after conducting a probe into allegations of sexual harassment (against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh), on the basis of an FIR filed by six women wrestlers. Now, the fight will continue in court and not on roads till justice is delivered.”

They also stated that they will wait for new WFI elections, which the government has promised will take place on July 11.

“The process for fresh Wrestling Federation of India election has begun. The polls are scheduled to be held on July 11 as promised by the government. We will wait for the implementation of the promise,” the wrestlers said.

Since the beginning of the year, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat have been organising rallies against Singh for alleged sexual harassment. After being removed from their Jantar Mantar protest site on May 28, the grapplers suspended their demonstration till June 15 after Union sports minister Anurag Thakur informed them that a chargesheet will be filed against BJP MP Singh.

Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik meet union minister after midnight initiation

June 7, 2023, 11:50 am

Wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia arrived at Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur’s residence on Wednesday, hours after he invited them to ‘discuss their concerns’ late at night. Wrestlers have demanded that Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh be arrested on charges of sexual harassment and intimidation.

Thakur took to his official Twitter handle and wrote shortly after midnight on Wednesday that “The government is willing to have a discussion with wrestlers on their issues. I have once again invited the wrestlers for the same.”

Thakur’s invitation comes just days after the wrestlers met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the allegations against Brij Bhushan, a Bharatiya Janata Party MP. The wrestlers met Shah at his home last week but expressed dissatisfaction; Punia told reporters that the protesters were “not happy with the government’s response.”

He furthermore said that he wanted to know why Brij Bhushan had not yet been arrested, despite the fact that Delhi Police had filed two FIRs against him only after the Supreme Court intervened, and he warned Shah that the wrestlers would not back down.

Punia later told reporters that he had been told not to reveal that the wrestlers had met with Amit Shah, but he chose to do so anyway.

No final solution was achieved, says Sakshi Malik after meeting Amit Shah over wrestlers’ protest

June 5, 2023, 7:42 pm

Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik claimed on Monday that no resolution was reached following the wrestlers’ “normal conversation” with Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday night regarding their protests against Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexual harassment.

“It was a normal conversation and no final solution was achieved. Our demand will be the same, to get the accused arrested,” Malik told the reporters.

In a demonstration against Brij Bhushan, Malik and Bajrang Punia have been calling for his arrest over claims of sexual harassment against seven wrestlers, including one kid. They are joined by fellow Olympian and World Championship medalist Vinesh Phogat. Singh has refuted every accusation.

“We have not withdrawn our names, Vinesh, I and Bajrang are together in this protest and we have not withdrawn our names,” Malik told news agency.

In the first such high-level engagement into the ongoing situation, Shah is said to have listened to the wrestlers until late. Anurag Thakur, the sports minister, guaranteed the wrestlers that their accusations would be fairly investigated earlier.

The late-night meeting with Shah takes place just days after the wrestlers attempted to dip their medals in the Ganga in Haridwar but were prevented by farmer activist Rakesh Tikait, who has given the government till June 9 to apprehend Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Sakshi Malik’s father, Sukhbir Malik, claimed that during their meeting with Shah, she, Punia, and Phogat made two demands: they called for Brij Bhushan to be detained and for honest officials to be appointed to the wrestling federation.

Rumor’s debunk: Wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia withdrawal from protest

June 5, 2023, 4:44 pm

Top wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia denied media reports that they had withdrawn from the ongoing protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexually harassing several female grapplers.

“This news is completely wrong. In the fight for justice, none of us has backed down, nor will we. Along with Satyagraha, I am fulfilling my responsibility in Railways. Our fight continues till justice is served. Please don’t spread any wrong news,” Malik tweeted sharing a screenshot of a news report from a news channel.

https://twitter.com/SakshiMalik/status/1665645066105544705

“The news of withdrawing the movement is just a rumour. These news are being spread to harm us. We have neither retreated nor have we withdrawn the movement. The news of women wrestlers raising FIR is also false. The fight will continue till justice is served,” Punia tweeted.

Malik, Punia, and Vinesh Phogat, who were evicted from their Jantar Mantar protest site on May 28, have returned to work for Indian Railways. According to Northern Railways headquarters, Malik joined her Baroda House office in New Delhi on May 31, a day after the high drama in Haridwar, where the trio stopped short of immersing their international medals in the Ganga due to a late intervention by Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Naresh Tikait.

Malik authorized the conduct of Railways inter-divisional championships in cricket (men), badminton (men), weightlifting, basketball (men), volleyball (men), kabaddi (men), wrestling, boxing (men), athletics (men), and hockey (men) in a letter dated May 31.

Kolkata: CM Mamata leads candlelight march to showcase support for protesting wrestlers

June 1, 2023, 8:05 pm

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to the streets for the second day in a row on Thursday in support of the protesting wrestlers, leading a candlelight march from the Gostha Pal statue to the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Mayo Road-Dufferin Road crossing in Kolkata.

The CM described the wrestlers’ struggle as a “fight for life, justice, and independence,” and stated that she will “fight until protesting wrestlers get justice.” The TMC supremo can be seen leading a group of protesters with a candle in her hand in a video posted by news agency ANI.

#WATCH | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee participates in a candlelight march to the Gandhi statue in Kolkata in support of protesting wrestlers. pic.twitter.com/mkdcEC8RRQ

— ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2023

Banerjee took part in a protest march on Wednesday that began at the Hazra Road crossing in Kolkata’s south and ended at Rabindra Sadan. Other protesters are seen carrying placards with the words ‘We want justice’ and ‘We are with you wrestlers’ written on them.

Addressing the rally, Banerjee demanded the immediate arrest of former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexually harassing several female wrestlers, and stated, “We promise to continue our protest against the BJP government at the Centre until the culprit is arrested.”

“Even after the Supreme Court has given a judgment, the BJP government at the Centre is unable to arrest the accused. On the contrary, I have asked the police that they can arrest TMC leaders, if genuine complaints are received against them,” she added.

Following a chaotic day in the national capital on 28 May, during which several top wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia, were detained and their protest site at Jantar Mantar was removed, the top agitating wrestlers traveled to Haridwar to immerse their medals in the Ganga. They were stopped, however, by farm leader Naresh Tikait. The wrestlers then gave the authorities a five-day deadline to act against the WFI chief.

‘Going to Haridwar to throw our medals in Ganga’ say wrestlers

May 30, 2023, 3:58 pm

The ongoing wrestlers’ protest in the national capital has taken a new turn, with India’s top grapplers Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat pledging to throw their medals in the Ganga on Tuesday evening in Haridwar.

The wrestlers took to Twitter to express their displeasure with the recent events and the way authorities handled the situation. The protesting wrestlers have stated that they will travel to Haridwar on Tuesday and throw their medals into the Ganga at 6 p.m. They have stated that after throwing their medals, they will go on hunger strike at India Gate.

Wrestlers wrote in their post that “You saw everything that happened on May 28, how police treated us and the way they arrested us. We were protesting peacefully, our place has been taken away and the next day serious cases and FIR were filed against us. Have the wrestlers committed any crime by demanding justice for the sexual harassment that happened to them? The police and the system are treating us like criminals, while the oppressor is taking jibe moving freely. He is even openly talking about changing the POSCO Act.”

Several top wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sakshi Malik, have been protesting Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment and demanding his arrest.
They also questioned how the female wrestlers were forced to hide for the entire day.

“Yesterday, many of our women wrestlers were hiding in the fields. The system should arrest the oppressor but it is engaged in breaking and intimidating the victim women to end their protest,” the grapplers claimed.

They went on to say that these medals now have no meaning.

‘They can arrest us if they want’ says Rakesh Tikait in support of protesting wrestlers

May 29, 2023, 3:11 pm

Rakesh Tikait, leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), said that the farmers are also prepared to be arrested in response to the wrestlers’ protest.

Tikait went on to say that “such an ugly situation is the result of the dying Democracy in the country.”

“They can arrest us if they want. Situations like these arise when Democracy dies in a country. People who should be in jail are enjoying gatherings instead. It took 90 years for the country to get its independence. Farmers’ protest also went on for 13 months. This protest has also been going on for 40 days,” Tikait expressed while conversing with the reporters.

Wrestlers have been protesting Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over harassment cases involving female athletes, including a minor. Farmers attempted to join the protesters in Delhi as well.

Earlier today, security personnel in Delhi stopped and detained protesting wrestlers as they attempted to march towards the new Parliament from their protest site at Jantar Mantar.

According to DCP Sonipat East Gaurav Rajpurohit, “unsocial elements” will not be allowed to enter the national capital to ensure the smooth operation of the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building.

The Delhi Police increased security in the national capital, including along its borders, ahead of the wrestlers’ march. The police barricaded all of the national capital’s borders in order to prevent any protests or gatherings.

Amid backlash Delhi Police explains reasons for clearing Jantar Mantar protest site

May 29, 2023, 2:38 pm

The Delhi Police said on Monday that they were forced to remove the protesting wrestlers from Jantar Mantar in Delhi, the officially designated protest site, after they broke the law “in a frenzy” despite repeated requests.

On Sunday, police and paramilitary personnel detained wrestler Vinesh Phogat during a protest march from Jantar Mantar to New Parliament House against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers.

According to the police, the protesters disregarded rules and regulations, prompting the intervention of security forces.

The deputy commissioner of police, New Delhi took to Twitter and penned “The dharna and demonstration of the wrestling wrestlers were going on smoothly at the notified place of Jantar Mantar. Yesterday, the protesters flouted the law in a frenzy despite all requests and requests. Hence, the ongoing dharna has been called off.”

The Delhi Police removed tents and other installations set up by wrestlers at Jantar Mantar on Sunday after they were arrested for allegedly breaching the security cordon. The wrestlers were detained as they attempted to make their way to the new Parliament building to hold a women’s “Maha Panchayat.”

Several photos and videos have surfaced on social media showing Delhi Police officers mistreating revered Olympians and Commonwealth Games champions during a peaceful protest march to the newly built parliament building.

The police action drew harsh criticism from opposition leaders, who called it “barbaric” and demanded an explanation from the Union home ministry. They also demanded action against all police personnel who wrongfully and “brutally” detained the wrestlers.

Tell me where to come to get shot, Bajrang Punia dares ex-IPS officer

May 29, 2023, 1:36 pm

On Monday, ace wrestler Bajrang Punia and former Kerala director general of police (DGP) NC Asthana engaged in a heated online debate after the latter threatened to shoot protesting grapplers if necessary. Punia responded to Asthana’s tweet by saying he was willing to take bullets in the chest.

The spat erupted after chaotic scenes at the Jantar Mantar dharna site, just 3 kilometers from the new Parliament building inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, as protesters and police officers shoved and pushed each other when the Phogat sisters, Sakshi Malik, and others attempted to breach the barricades.

After the wrestlers and other protesters were pushed into buses and taken to different locations, police began clearing the protest site by removing cots, mattresses, coolers, fans, and the tarpaulin ceiling, as well as other wrestlers’ belongings.

Later that night, while retweeting a news report, Asthana wrote in Hindi, “Will even shoot if necessary. But not because of you are saying. Right now, they have just been dragged and thrown away like a sack of garbage. Article 129 gives the police the right to shoot. Under proper circumstances, that wish will also be fulfilled too. But to know that it is necessary to be educated. See you again at the postmortem table!”

In another tweet, the former DGP stated that, “Some fools doubt the right of the police to shoot. If you can read English, then read the decision of the Supreme Court in Akhilesh Prasad’s case. Those illiterate who cannot read, it is good advice not to test this right. Wives will be widowed and children orphaned without any reason! stay fit.”

https://twitter.com/NcAsthana/status/1662857287265054721

Punia, one of India’s top grapplers who are demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who allegedly sexually harassed female wrestlers, appeared to be upset by the former IPS officer’s tweet.

“This IPS officer is talking about shooting us. Brother, I am standing in front here. Tell me where to come to get shot… I swear that I will not show my back, I will take your bullet on my chest. This is what has remained, now it is right to do with us,” Punia tweeted.

ये IPS ऑफिसर हमें गोली मारने की बात कर रहा है। भाई सामने खड़े हैं, बता कहाँ आना है गोली खाने… क़सम है पीठ नहीं दिखाएँगे, सीने पे खाएँगे तेरी गोली। यो ही रह गया है अब हमारे साथ करना तो यो भी सही। https://t.co/jgZofGj5QC

— Bajrang Punia ?? (@BajrangPunia) May 29, 2023

Mahila Maha panchayat: Wrestlers, supporters detained after scuffle with police

May 28, 2023, 1:49 pm

On Sunday, security personnel stopped and detained protesting wrestlers as they attempted to march from Jantar Mantar to the new Parliament building. Wrestlers wanted to hold a Maha Panchayat for women in front of the new Parliament.

Wrestlers led by Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sakshi Malik have demanded the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Singh, who they claim sexually harassed several female wrestlers. Thousands of police officers were stationed at Delhi’s borders, Lutyens’ Delhi, and multiple layers of barricades were erected as protesting wrestlers marched towards the new Parliament building.

Protesting wrestlers announced on Saturday that they will hold a women’s Maha Panchayat in front of the new Parliament building, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi.

As Khap Panchayat leaders and farmers planned to join the protesting wrestlers’ march, Delhi Police set up barricades near ITO road, the Tikri border, and the Singhu border area.

Farmers’ groups in Haryana’s Ambala were prevented from proceeding to Delhi for the Mahila Mahapanchayat outside the new Parliament Building in New Delhi. Several farmers’ leaders were also detained in Haryana’s Kurukshetra, including Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Gurnam Singh Charuni. The groups, mostly women, had stopped for the night at Gurudwara Manji Sahib on NH-44 when it was turned into a fortress in the presence of a large police force.

Khap leaders from Rohtak, Bhiwani, Hisar, Jind, and other parts of the state were apprehended. Binain khap leaders were apprehended at Jind’s Narwana railway station.

Wrestlers should have taken this step 3 months ago, says Yogeshwar Dutt

April 30, 2023, 1:45 pm

Former Indian wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, a member of the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) seven-member committee charged with investigating the wrestlers’ allegations of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, stated that an FIR has been filed and that the grapplers should now focus on their practice.

The Delhi Police filed two FIRs against WFI president Singh on Friday, alleging sexual harassment and exploitation of female wrestlers. Top Indian wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and many others have joined the protest against the WFI chief.

For those unversed, the wrestlers have been sleeping and training at the protest site near Jantar Mantar in the national capital for the past six days.

“The wrestlers should have taken this step 3 months ago. FIR has been registered, now the wrestlers should focus on their practice. Even the Prime Minister does not have the right to punish only the court does” Yogeshwar Dutt told the media.

Dutt also stated that the committee formed was tasked with submitting a report after hearing from both sides. Neither the committee nor the country’s Prime Minister have the authority to punish. Only the court has the authority to sentence.

“An FIR has been registered in this matter and as I said earlier also, the wrestlers should have taken steps to get the FIR registered 3 months back. Nothing happens while sitting at home,” Dutt added.