New Delhi: India’s top wrestlers are on the streets protesting against the alleged sexual harassment by WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh. After CWG gold medallist Vinesh Phogat questioned cricketers on not extending their support, former cricketers Kapil Dev, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, and Irfan Pathan came forward in solidarity with their protest. Taking on social media, the ex-cricketers demanded justice for the wrestlers.
Former World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev took to Instagram stories and shared a picture of the protest with the question, “Will they ever get justice?” Virender Sehwag called it ‘sad’ that champions who brought glory to the nation had to take it to the streets to get justice.
बहुत दुःख की बात है की हमारे champions जिन्होंने देश का बड़ा नाम किया है , झंडा लहराया है , हम सबको इतनी ख़ुशियाँ दी हैं, उन्हें आज सड़क पर आना पड़ा है।
बड़ा संवेदनशील मामला है और इसकी निष्पक्ष जाँच होनी चाहिए। उम्मीद है खिलाड़ियों को न्याय मिलेगा। pic.twitter.com/A8KXqxbKZ4— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 28, 2023
Former spinner Harbhajan Singh, who is also an AAP MP, wrote that Sakshi Mallik and Vinesh Phogat are India’s pride and he feels pained as a sportsperson. Irfan Pathan posted an indirect tweet and wrote that athletes are always a matter of pride not only when they bring medals.
Sakshi, Vinesh are India’s pride. I am pained as a sportsperson to find pride of our country coming out to protest on the streets. I pray that they get justice.#IStandWithWrestlers pic.twitter.com/hwD9dKSFNv
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 28, 2023
Indian athletes are always our pride not only when they get medals for us…
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 28, 2023
Earlier, the wrestlers got support from several sports personalities including Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra and World Boxing Champion Nikhat Zareen.
Talking to Indian Express, Vinesh said that the entire country worships cricket but not even a single cricketer spoke up for them. She asked them to at least take a neutral stand and added that they congratulate when wrestlers win medals but are not coming forward now.
In an update to the case, Supreme Court heard the petition on allegations laid by the wrestlers and Delhi Police have decided to file an FIR against Brij Bhushan Singh. SC has also directed the police to provide protection to the minor girl, who was allegedly harassed.
The protests led to a tussle between the wrestlers and the Sports Ministry where Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said that they had meetings with the wrestlers and heard them for 12 hours, while the protestors claim that they were not heard. Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Mallik, and World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat are leading the protest against the WFI President.
