‘Will Reach Out To Olympians Around The World’: Protesting Wrestlers Intensify Demand For WFI Chief’s Arrest

A “big call” will be made after May 21 if the protesting wrestlers’ demand for the arrest of former National Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is not heeded, they threatened in a letter they sent to Olympic medalists and athletes from other nations on Monday.

Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Asian Games gold medalist Vinesh Phogat are among the top wrestlers from India who have been protesting outside Jantar Mantar for the past 23 days. They want Brij Bhushan arrested for allegedly abusing women grapplers, including a kid, and are demanding that he be charged.

“We will make this protest global. We will approach Olympians and Olympic medallists in other countries. We will write to them asking them for their support,” said Vinesh who is 2018 Jakarta Asian Games gold medallist.

She claimed that certain individuals tried to delegitimize their protest on Sunday night and added that the wrestlers were being followed around the protest area.

“Some people tried to disrupt our protest. The last time it happened was when we were bringing our bedding to the protest site (at the start of the agitation).

“We are being stalked. People make recording and click photos… and when we tell them (to stop), they do not listen. Some unknown people (women) also tried to sleep here (inside the tent put up by wrestlers),” Vinesh further said.

“Women, whom we don’t know are being sent inside at night… things are being done, which we do not want should happen at the protest site… which bring a bad name and tarnish our fight for truth and justice.”

She added that the wrestlers would work to raise awareness of their condition among all citizens of the nation, not only those present at the protest location.

“We are getting a feeling at Jantar Mantar that we are being restricted and pushed into a corner. So the more we agitate at other places and let the people elsewhere also know, the better.

“Today we have decided to go to Connaught Place and speak to the people there and seek their support in our fight for justice. We have set May 21 as the deadline (for action against Brij Bhushan). If no decision is taken, then we will take a big call on our agitation after that date,” Vinesh said.

However, Vinesh made no mention of the legal actions that the wrestlers have taken against Brij Bhushan.

“They (legal processes) are ongoing. I will not shed light on them now. Once something concrete happens, we will let you know,” she said.

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