Wrestlers Protest: Protesting Grapplers Should Wait for Delhi Police To Conclude Investigation, Says Sports Minister Anurag Thakur (Watch Video)

New Delhi, May 31: Wrestlers protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India's president Brij Bhushan Singh should wait for the investigation to be completed, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said on Wednesday, asking the grapplers to trust Delhi Police and Supreme Court of India.

Union Minister also said that while the investigation is being done, wrestlers should not do anything which harms the sport and its players. "Under our government, the budget for sports has increased. Schemes and programmes like Khelo India, TOPS scheme have been introduced. A lot of money is being spent on players' training. A lot of sports infrastructure is being developed. We want to do more for sports," the minister told the mediapersons. Wrestlers Protest: Protesting Grapplers Reach Haridwar To Immerse Their Medals in River Ganga in Protest Against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh (Watch Video).

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur Speaks on Wrestlers Protest

"We formed a committee after discussing with players. They did an impartial investigation, gave their report to the ministry. Delhi Police filed an FIR as well. The matter reached Supreme Court as well. SC heard the matter and asked them to go to Magistrate as well. The problems of wrestlers were heard with an open mind. We left no stone unturned. Throughout the nation's history, whenever such allegations are raised, the investigation is done following which the government takes appropriate action," added the minister.

Thakur said that wrestlers should wait for Delhi Police to conclude their investigation and to trust the Police, Supreme Court and the Sports Ministry. "The wrestlers should wait for Delhi Police to conclude their investigation and not take any steps that may cause harm to the sport or aspiring wrestlers. They should trust the police, SC and the ministry while the investigation is being carried out. We all are in favour of the sport and sportspersons and want the impartial investigation to be done and action to be taken against the ones found guilty," concluded the minister. Rahul Gandhi Insults India During Foreign Visits, Raises Questions About Country’s Progress, Says Union Minister Anurag Thakur (Watch Video).

Notably, the Leftist student organisations, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Students Federation of India (SFI), the students' wing of the CPI(M), have jointly declared a nationwide protest from June 4 in support of the wrestlers' protest. Wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat have been protesting against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations and are demanding his arrest.

"DYFI and SFI demanded the immediate arrest of Brij Bhushan and to withdraw all false cases against the wrestlers immediately. Through this protest, we demand that the Prime minister should apologize for the police violence unleashed upon wrestlers," said AA Rahim, national president of DYFI, the youth wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

On Tuesday, Olympic medalist wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik alongwith Vinesh Phogat reached Uttarakhand's Haridwar to immerse their all medals including Olympic ones in the river Ganga, as a mark of their protest. But farmer leader Naresh Tikait intervened and stopped protesting wrestlers from immersing their medals in the Ganga and said that there would be a Khap meeting over the issue.

The wrestlers later issued a five-day ultimatum to the authorities to act against the WFI chief. On Sunday, India's Olympic medallist wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia along with Vinesh Phogat and Sangeeta Phogat were detained by Delhi Police while attempting to march to the new Parliament building where they planned to stage a demonstration. FIR has been filed under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 147, 149, 186, 188, 332, 353, Section 3 of the PDPP Act, said Delhi Police.

WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Wednesday responded to the protesting wrestlers' allegations, and said that he would "hang" himself if allegations against him are proven. "If a single allegation against me is proven, I will hang myself," the WFI chief said while addressing a public rally in UP's Barabanki.

Singh further took a jibe at wrestlers for announcing to immerse their medals in Ganga. "It's been four months and they want me to be hanged. The government is not hanging me that's why they gathered at Haridwar on Tuesday and threatened to immerse their medals in the Ganga. This will not bring the sentence that they want for me, it is all emotional drama," he said.

"If you (wrestlers) have any evidence, present it in the court and I am ready to accept any punishment," Singh said. "Delhi police is investigating the matter. I would be arrested if there's any truth to the charges (levelled by the wrestlers)," he added. Earlier in the day, Delhi Police sources said that till now no supportive evidence has been found to arrest the WFI president in connection with the allegations levelled by wrestlers against him.

According to top sources, Delhi police will be filing its final report on the matter within 15 days. "Within 15 days we will be filing our report in the court. It could be in the form of a charge sheet or final report," they said.

"Neither he (WFI Chief) is influencing the witness nor he is destroying the evidence," they added.

Amid the continuing protest against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the United World Wrestling (UWW) on Tuesday issued a statement condemning the detention of the wrestlers on Sunday. UWW has also expressed "disappointment over the lack of results of the investigations" against the WFI chief and threatened to suspend the federation if WFI elections are not held within 45 days.

"UWW firmly condemns the treatment and detention of the wrestlers. It expresses its disappointment over the lack of results of the investigations so far. UWW urges the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations," the world wrestling body said in a statement.

"UWW will request further information about the next elective general assembly from the I0A and the Ad-hoc Committee of the WFI. The 45-day deadline that was initially set to hold this elective assembly shall be respected. Failing to do so may lead UWW to suspend the federation, thereby forcing the athletes to compete under a neutral flag. It is reminded that UWW already took a measure in this situation by reallocating the Asian Championship planned in New Delhi earlier this year," it added.

Earlier, on April 24, the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will form an ad hoc committee to conduct the elections to the Executive Committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) within 45 days of its formation, to manage day-to-day affairs of the body, including the selection of athletes and making entries for the participation of players in international events. This committee will be functioning for an interim period till a new Executive Committee takes charge.

After prominent wrestlers came forward with allegations of sexual harassment against the WFI chief, earlier this year, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur announced the formation of an oversight committee to probe allegations charges against him and some coaches. Wrestling Federation of India assistant secretary Vinod Tomar is also named as an accused in the FIR filed in the matter. The movement has gained traction, with leading Opposition leaders also supporting the grapplers.

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