‘This time, all political parties welcome’: Top wrestlers on protest against WFI chief

Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia said this time "all parties are welcome" to join the protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Olympics medallist Bajrang Punia on Monday said all political parties were “welcome” as top Indian wrestlers, including him, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, among others, returned to New Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Sunday to stage protests against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually assaulting women wrestlers.

Speaking to reporters, Punia said, “All parties are welcomed, be it BJP, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party or any other party. When we win a medal, we don't wave any party's flag but only the Indian flag. (ANI/Twitter)

“All parties are welcomed, be it the BJP, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party or any other party. When we win a medal, we don't wave any party's flag but only the Indian flag. When we win medals, everyone. Not just one party comes forward to congratulate us, and neither are we affiliated with a single party. We are a part of this country and all Indians are welcome to join the protests. If we don't fight for the women of the country then we can't fight against anything,” Punia told reporters at the protest site.

The wrestlers returned to Jantar Mantar three months after the women wrestlers sat on protests, in January, levelling sexual harassment charges against the WFI president and other coaches of the institution.

The wrestlers sat on a protest again on Sunday claiming that the promises that were made to them were not held up and their demands had not been fulfilled despite assurances.

Punia's comments had come after CPI(M) Leader Brinda Karat, who had come to support the wrestlers' protest in January, was asked to step down from the stage. The wrestlers had then maintained that they did not want to make the protests political. It was then said that no politicians would be allowed to speak on the stage.

Punia had then said, “We don't want the protest to take a political shape”.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has sought a report from the probe committee set up by the ministry of sports to investigate the allegations, a senior officer said on Monday.

The officer said that so far seven complaints have been received against the WFI president and all of them are being investigated. An FIR will be registered after concrete evidence comes to light, he said.

The enquiry is headed by DCP (New Delhi) Pranav Tayal.