Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Friday raised questions over the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and the ongoing protests. “Why has the resignation of the WFI president not been sought till now?” she questioned.
“It’s been 72 hours since the wrestlers’ strike! Why has the resignation of the WFI president not been sought till now? Why is an FIR not being registered in connection with the sexual harassment allegations? Why is the sports minister not making efforts to end the protest? Till when will the pride of the country sit on the street like this?,” Maliwal asked on Twitter in Hindi.
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Several Indian wrestlers including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat are staging a sit-in protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar since the last two days against WFI president and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh – accusing him of sexual exploitation and intimidation. In a letter to the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) PT Usha, it is mentioned that Phogat was “mentally harassed and tortured” by the WFI president after she missed out on an Olympic medal in Tokyo that led her to almost contemplate suicide.
The protesting wrestlers have requested the IOA president to appoint a committee to enquire into the matter.
Meanwhile, the accused WFI president has called the allegations a “political conspiracy”.
On Thursday night, sports minister Anurag Thakur met with the protesting wrestlers, however, the meeting remained inconclusive as they refused back down from their demand to immediately disband the WFI.