NEW DELHI: Ace India wrestler Bajrang Punia on Thursday said wrestlers have “proof” of the allegations levelled against the Wrestling Federation of India and its chief and demanded that the body should be dissolved.
Wrestlers staging the protest at Jantar Mantar met with the officials at the office of the Union Sports Ministry in Shashtri Bhawan on Thursday.
Punia, an Olympic medalist, said the protesting wrestlers are seeking justice over their charges of sexual harassment of women wrestlers by the president and coaches of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and of mismanagement in the functioning of the federation.
“The WFI president stated that he will hang himself if the sexual harassment allegations are found to be true. Earlier there were just two girls who had come forward but now 5-6 girls have raised their voices and that too along with the proof. We are not making bogus claims,” Punia said.
“Our aim is to revive wrestling in India. If actions are not taken promptly we will take the help of the police and judiciary,” he added.
Punia alleged that WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has influence not just in the organisation but in state wrestling associations as well.
“We want the Federation to be dissolved and not just the resignation of the WFI President as he will ensure that another close aide of his takes the seat and then act on his muse. This also holds true for state wrestling associations as the current WFI president has linkups there too. We want the WFI to be dissolved and that is our demand from the government,” the Arjuna awardee said.
Clarifying that the wrestlers are not staging the protest against the government, he said, “Our fight is with the WFI and not the government as they have always supported us be it either the Haryana government or the central government”.
Olympic medalist Sakshee Malikkh also voiced her concerns and said “only assurances have been given but no concrete actions have been confirmed”.
“We want a fresh start for the WFI and state associations. No satisfactory response has been received by us.”
Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Ravi Dahiya was also present at the protest. “We have not received any satisfactory response and are waiting for it. If we don’t get any concrete resolution we will take legal way,” he said. (ANI)