Listen to ‘Betiyon Ki Mann Ki Baat’: Protesting wrestlers’ appeal to PM Modi
NEW DELHI,APR 26 : Top Indian wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, who alongside other grapplers are protesting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, on Wednesday expressed their desire to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The wrestlers said that after meeting them, the prime minister would be able to understand their pain.
Speaking to India Today, Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik said she wanted the prime minister to meet them. “We want Modi ji to call us and meet. Possibly our voice is not reaching him. We want to meet him and explain all about our concerns,” the 30-year-old wrestler from Rohkat said.
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Meanwhile, Vinesh Phogat, the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold in both the Commonwealth and Asian Games, also said she wanted to meet the prime minister. “Possibly after meeting us he would be able to see the pain of daughters of the nation,” she said.
“PM Modi does Mann Ki Baat, but he should listen to Betiyon Ki Mann Ki Baat as well,” Vinesh Phogat said.
On Day 4 of their protest at the Jantar Mantar, several national award winning wrestlers remained firm in their stance of making public the findings of an oversight panel that investigated the sexual harassment allegations against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, also a BJP MP.
The wrestlers even asserted that they would not leave the protest site until Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is arrested.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police told Supreme Court that some kind of preliminary probe was needed before it can proceed with the registration of an FIR over sexual harassment allegations levelled by seven women wrestlers against the WFI chief.
Delhi Police’s response came a day after the SC issued notices to the Delhi Police and others on a plea by the seven women wrestlers, saying the matter is “serious” and requires its consideration.
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The wrestlers have claimed that they have learnt through media reports that Singh has been given a clean chit by the committee probing the allegations and the report of the committee is lying at the Ministry of Sports and despite requests, it was not being made public.
The wrestlers are demanding that WFI be disbanded and its president be removed.
-PTI
