Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Jan 19: As the protest against the president of the Wrestling Federation of India grew stronger with more national and international level wrestlers joined the sit-in protest in Delhi, the union sports ministry has issued a 72-hour notice to the accused WFI chief to submit an explanation to the allegations made against him.
The ministry said, “If WFI fails to furnish the reply within the next 72 hours, the Ministry will proceed to initiate action against the federation in terms of the provisions of the National Sports Development Code, 2011.”
Agitating wrestlers, however, were not satisfied with notice and decided to continue their agitation till concrete action was taken by the government to meet their demands for sacking of the WFI president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh and overhauling the Federation administration. As the sit-in protest at the Jantar Mantar was resumed on Thursday, more national and international level wrestlers joined the agitation promising to continue the protest till heads rolled in the WFI.
“This is a protest to save the future of the sport and the future of women wrestlers. This is not about politics,” said Bajrang Punia on Thursday, making it clear time and again alongside the other wrestlers present that no politician will be asked or allowed to speak at the protest.
Hundreds of wrestlers including Chhatrasal trainee and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist wrestler Ravi Dahiya joined in the protest against the Wrestling Federation of India at Jantar Mantar. Tokyo Olympic silver medallist and junior World medallist Deepak Punia and Anshu Malik were also present.
Though the agitating wrestlers maintained that their agitation was apolitical, Congress entered the fray to target the BJP taking advantage of the accused WFI chief being a ruling party Member of Parliament. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi should break his “silence” on the allegations of sexual exploitation against the BJP MP and WFI chief.
The party questioned the reason for the delay in taking the resignations of those person against whom serious allegations of sexual harassment have been made by renowned wrestlers. The reference was to the shocking accusations made by the star wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday that Singh, who had been the WFI chief since 2011, had been sexually exploiting women wrestlers for years. The charge was, however, categorically rejected by Mr. Singh who said he was prepared to face any inquiry against but would not resign because of the allegations.
“Our players are the pride of the country. They bring laurels to the country by their performance at the world level. The players have made serious allegations of exploitation against the Wrestling Federation of India and its president. Their voices should be heard, their allegations must be investigated and appropriate action must be taken,” Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also took to Twitter to question Modi. “Yesterday, you said a better environment has been created for sports in the past eight years. Is this the ‘better environment’, in which even our daughters who bring laurels to the country are unsafe?” he added, referring to a speech of Mr. Modi on Wednesday in which the Prime Minister had said “a better environment for sports has been created and now more children and youths are looking at sports as a career option.”
Wrestlers protesting in Delhi on Thursday said they weren’t satisfied after talks with the government and “won’t wrestle another day” till their demands are met. “We have not got a satisfactory response; only assurances, no concrete action. We will not quit till the federation chief is removed, and he goes to jail. We have 5-6 girls with proof. If the government does not act, we will go to the police,” Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik said.
At a news conference before wrapping up the second day of their sit-in at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar with around 200 others, the three wrestlers – among India’s most decorated wrestlers – said, “We did not want to take the legal route because we had faith in the Prime Minister.”
“All of us wrestlers have come together to protest against the injustice of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). We are united in our protest and we will stay united and will not stop protests till we get justice,” Ravi Dahiya said. The 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2021 World Championships silver medallist Anshu Malik on Thursday conceded, “Women wrestlers are uncomfortable that the Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan stays in a room opposite to them at team hotel. When the girls return after competing they don’t go back to their room.”
The announcement to continue the agitation came following their talks at the Sports Ministry brokered by Olympian Babita Phogat, a member of the BJP and part of the Haryana government. “I’m a wrestler first. The BJP government is with the wrestlers. I have heard instances of abuse in my career as well. There is no smoke without fire,” Babita Phogat said.
The 66-year-old WFI President refuting the charges had said, “All the sexual harassment allegations are false, and I will commit suicide if they are found to be true.” Vinesh Phogat, 28, made the allegations against Mr Singh and trainers at a public protest in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, backed by several other top wrestlers. “Women wrestlers have been sexually harassed at national camps by coaches and also the WFI president. I know at least 10-20 girls in the national camp who have come and told me their stories,” she said, tearing up.
Ms Phogat said she never faced such exploitation herself, but claimed many wrestlers were intimidated from coming forward because of their humble origins. “They are scared because of their family background. They can’t fight them because they are powerful. Wrestling is our only livelihood, and they are not letting us do it. Our only option is to die. So might as well do good before dying,” she added.
The Delhi Commission for Women, a local body that looks after women’s issues, has issued notice to the sports ministry and asked the city police to file a case. The organisation’s chief Swati Maliwal met the protesting wrestlers at the Jantar Mantar.
The allegations come months after the coach of the country’s national cycling team was sacked following sexual harassment charges. India’s #MeToo movement gathered momentum in 2018 after a Bollywood actress accused a senior actor of sexual harassment. Soon after, women from other backgrounds came forward with multiple allegations, including against a former government minister, but activists say there has been little fundamental change.
