New Delhi: Sending out a clear message to one & all, the protesting wrestlers on Thursday opposed to take support of any political party in their against protest alleged sexual exploitation at the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and allow them to ‘hijack’ their demonstration.
On the second day of wrestlers sit-in protest, Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) leader Brinda Karat reached Jantar Mantar , in a bid to show solidarity with the aggrieved players. However, she was denied permission to share the dais with them and rather support their cause ‘from a distance’.
Brinda Karat was requested by the wrestlers to leave the stage at Jantar Mantar, where many national-level wrestlers have assembled, demanding against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh & other officials for ill-treatment and alleged sexual exploitation of women athletes.
#WATCH | CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat asked to step down from the stage during wrestlers’ protest against WFI at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/sw8WMTdjsk
— ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2023
In a video shared by news agency ANI, Commonwealth gold medallist Bajrang Punia can be seen asking, “Neeche utar jaaiye please (Please get down)… We request you, madam, please don’t make this political.”
“You are requested to sit in front of the stage. This is not a political fight. This is a protest by athletes,” he is further heard saying in video.
Lot many medalists including Sakshi Malik, Sangeeta Phogat, Amit Dhankar were among 30 top wrestlers taking part in the protest at Jantar Mantar.
The wrestlers have leveled many complaints, ranging from high-handedness of WFI officials to sexual harassment of women wrestlers. They said that despite such indecent acts, the accused officials have gone unpunished, prompting them to launch public protest against the erring management.
Taking quick cognizance of the matter, the government has formed a three-member committee to look into their allegations and also sought a report from the wrestling body within 3 days.