Last Updated: January 19, 2023, 2:42 PM IST
Babita Phogat at Jantar Mantar (Twitter/ANI)
Babita Phogat arrived at Jantar Mantar with a “message” from the government and assured the wrestlers that their demands will be met
Three-time CWG medallist and BJP leader Babita Phogat on Thursday came with a “message” from the government and assured the grapplers that their demands will be met after elite wrestlers insisted that WFI be disbanded.
Top Indian wrestlers including three-time CWG champion Vinesh Phogat and the Olympic bronze medallist duo of Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, sat in protest at the Jantar Mantar for the second day straight against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who has been accused of sexual harassment.
Geeta Phogat and her sister Babita have come out in support of their cousin Vinesh and their brother-in-law Bajrang Punia.
“I will try to get the solution. I am a wrestler first and then a political person. I know their pain and I will try to get the solution that the wrestlers want,” Babita said.
Bajrang, Anshu Malik, Sakshi and Vinesh have demanded that the WFI be disbanded and a new federation be formed.
On Thursday morning, Geeta Phogat and Babita Phogat tweeted their support to the protesting wrestlers who have demanded the removal of the WFI president.
“The wrestlers of our country have done a very courageous work to bring out the truth about what happens to the players in WFI and it is the duty of all our countrymen to support the players in the fight for this truth and to get justice for them,” Geeta wrote in a tweet on Thursday.
Her young sister, Babita too raised her voice in a tweet, “I stand with all my fellow players in this matter of wrestling. I assure all of you that I will work to raise this issue with the government at every level and the future will be decided according to the feelings of the players,” she wrote.
The wrestlers of our country have done a very courageous work to bring out the truth about what happens to the players in WFI and it is the duty of all of us countrymen to support the players in the fight for this truth and to get justice for them 🙏🏽 🙏🏽 — Geeta Phogat (@geeta_phogat) January 19, 2023
I stand with all my fellow players in this matter of wrestling. I assure all of you that I will work to raise this issue with the government at all levels and the future will be decided according to the feelings of the players.— Babita Phogat (@BabitaPhogat) January 19, 2023
Wrestlers including Bajrang, his wife Sangeeta, Vinesh, Sarita Mor, Anshu Malik, Antim Pangal were called for a meeting with Sports Secretary Sujata Chaturvedi, a few minutes after Babita left the protest site.
On Wednesday, Vinesh had claimed that WFI chief has been sexually exploiting women wrestlers for many years, a charge that the sports administrator and BJP MP has vehemently denied.
She also alleged that several coaches at the national camp in Lucknow have also exploited women wrestlers.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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