New Delhi: As the ongoing wrestlers’ protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh entered the second day, wrestlers today held a press conference after meeting the Sports Ministry officials in Shashtri Bhawan.
In a press conference, ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat said that they haven’t gotten any satisfactory response from the government.
“Today is the 2nd day of protest and we haven’t got any satisfactory response from the govt. We will make sure Brij Bhushan Singh resigns & is jailed. We will also file a case,” she said.
She further stated, “We had gone to talk…We do not want to tell now which representative of the government said what. Our fight is not with the government or the people of the government…Our fight is only with one person.”
Speaking to reporters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, Phogat said, “Exploitation was done behind closed doors. There is no camera there. We should not be forced to reveal the identities of the victim. If forced, we will file an FIR. It’s a dark day for Indian sportspersons. Exploitation ruined the careers of many female wrestlers. Bring the WFI president face to face against me. We have not received a satisfactory answer so far. WFI chief must be jailed. We are not just wrestlers, we are daughters of this country. Don’t force us to reveal names of victims.”
Bajrang Punia said that around 5 to 6 women wrestlers are there with them who have faced these atrocities. “We have evidence to prove it,” he said.
“Our fight is only against the Wrestling Federation of India, we are not fighting against the government. We only want justice,” Punia said.
Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik said that the government did not promise action and has only given assurance. “Government did not promise any action, they have only given assurance and we are not happy with the response, we request PM sir to ensure justice,” she added.
The ace wrestlers, including Bajrang, Anshu Malik, Sakshi, and Vinesh Phogat, demanded that the WFI should be dissolved and a new committee should be formed where former or senior athletes should be elected.
Earlier in the day, champion wrestler and BJP leader Babita Phogat arrived at the protest site at Jantar Mantar in Delhi where wrestlers continued their sit-in protest for the second day demanding action against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and other officials against alleged sexual exploitation of several athletes and “harassment of wrestlers by the WFI through its arbitrary rules and regulations”.