NEW DELHI: India’s ace grapplers Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyawart Kadian on Saturday said their fight was against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and not the central government.
Sakshi on Saturday shared a video on Twitter, clarifying rumours swirling around them over the past few days.
https://twitter.com/SakshiMalik/status/1670008378725220352?s=20
“We have been protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh because he sexually abused women wrestlers. He has also been involved in many scams while running the wrestling federation. A narrative is being peddled against us, rumours are being spread and a section of the media is putting out misleading reports. The purpose of this video is to share our truth”, Satyawart said in the video.
Satyawart said their fight is against Brij Bhushan, who was accused of sexual harassment by multiple women wrestlers. “We have said many times that our fight is not against the government, but the WFI chief, who committed the crimes as was alleged while at the helm of the federation”, Satyawart added.
He claimed about 90 per cent of people associated with wrestling were aware of the “things being done to women wrestlers for the last 10 to 12 years”. “I can say for certain that 90 per cent of people associated with wrestling, including the wrestlers themselves and their coaches, were aware of what was happening to our women wrestlers for the last 10 to 12 years. Some coaches have come out with evidence before the media as well”, he said.
Further, clarifying on claims that there was politics at play behind the wrestlers’ protest and they were instigated by Congress leader Deepender Hooda, he added, “We were first accused of a protest inspired by politics. It was said Congress leader Deepender Hooda instigated us to launch the protest. We launched this protest in January and sought prior permission from two BJP leaders. We have proof of that.”
Sakshi too clarified why the wrestlers didn’t come out against the alleged sexual harassment earlier, saying, “We were accused of being quiet for too long. However, there are many reasons for it. We were not united and secondly, there were minors among the victims. She (the minor wrestler, who accused Singh of sexual harassment and whose complaint a POCSO case was filed against him) gave her statements under IPC Sections 161 and 164. However, she later retracted her statement as her family was threatened”, Sakshi said in the video.
At the end of the video address, they thanked the people for supporting their cause, adding that everyone should stand against injustice.
Olympians Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, along with other wrestlers, had been on a protest in the national capital since the beginning of this year in order to press for the arrest of the Brij Bhushan over allegations of sexual harassment.
The Delhi police filed a chargesheet in connection with the FIR against Brij Bhushan on the complaint of sexual harassment by the protesting wrestlers. The chargesheet was filed under IPC Sections 354, 354D, 345A & 506 (1), Special Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava said.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections are set to be held on July 6. The process of filing nominations will begin on June 19. (ANI)