We will lodge FIR against WFI president on January 20 if Federation is not disbanded: protesting wrestlers

Wrestlers Banjrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and others sitting on a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on January 19, 2023.
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy

Wrestlers who are continuing to sit on a silent protest at Jantar Mantar for the second day on Thursday against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said they will lodge an FIR against the Federation chief on Friday if the Federation is not disbanded.

They said that they were only getting “assurances” from the government over their protests but their was “no satisfactory response.” Olympian wrestler Bajrang Punia asserted that they will continue to protest until their demands are met. “Sit-in protest will continue till we get justice,” he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and others, continued to sit on a silent protest at Jantar Mantar for the second day.

The first Indian woman wrestler to win a gold medal at both the Asian and Commonwealth Games, Vinesh Phogat said, “today is the second day of protest and we haven’t got any satisfactory response from the government. We will make sure Brij Bhushan Singh resigns and is jailed. We will also file a case.”

“Government did not promise any action, they have only given assurance and we’re not happy with the response, we request PM sir to ensure justice, Olympian Sakshi Malik was quoted as saying by ANI.

Phogat, who has been at loggerheads with the WFI since the Tokyo Olympic Games, had alleged on Wednesday that coaches are harassing women. “Some coaches who are favourites of the federation misbehave with women coaches as well. They sexually harass girls. The WFI president has sexually harassed so many girls,” she had said.

The 28-year-old, however, clarified that she never faced such exploitation but claimed that “one victim” was present at the ‘dharna’ they began at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Bajrang Punia said, “five-six women wrestlers are there with us who have faced these atrocities and we have evidence to prove it.”