In a dramatic turn of events, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has responded to a group of protesting wrestlers who threatened to immerse their hard-earned medals in the holy Ganges river as a mark of protest against him. Singh, who is currently facing allegations of sexual harassment by female wrestlers, addressed the situation by stating that the charges against him are already being investigated by the Delhi Police.
The protesting wrestlers, including Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat, had given the authorities a five-day ultimatum to take action against Singh. They had gathered in Haridwar, intending to discard their medals in the Ganges as a powerful symbol of their protest. However, farmer leader Naresh Tikait managed to convince them otherwise, and the wrestlers handed their medals to him instead.
During his interaction with reporters, Brij Bhushan Singh, who is also a six-time BJP MP, stated, “The matter is under investigation by the Delhi Police. If there’s any truth to the charges leveled against me by the wrestlers, an arrest will be made.” He emphasized that the wrestlers’ decision to dispose of their medals in the river was an independent action taken by them.
The protesting wrestlers had taken to social media to express their frustration with the way the authorities had handled the situation. They highlighted the alleged mistreatment they faced during peaceful protests and expressed disappointment with the system’s response, which seemed to favor the accused rather than addressing the issue of sexual harassment.
In their social media post, the wrestlers questioned whether they had committed any crime by demanding justice for the sexual harassment they had experienced. They also criticized the authorities for allegedly intimidating the victimized women while allowing the accused to move freely.
The wrestlers’ decision to immerse their medals in the Ganges was a symbolic act that conveyed their loss of faith in the significance and value of the medals they had earned through years of hard work. They believed that the medals, which they considered sacred like the holy river, belonged in the Ganga rather than in a system that they perceived as being unsupportive and protective of their oppressor.
Their post further stated that the wrestlers were prepared to go to extreme lengths to express their dissatisfaction, including sitting on a hunger strike at India Gate until death. They asserted that they no longer needed the medals, as compromising their self-respect was akin to death itself.
This protest gained significant attention after several prominent wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sangeeta Phogat, were detained by the Delhi Police while attempting to march to the new Parliament building for a demonstration.
The wrestlers’ powerful gesture of discarding their medals in the Ganges highlights the deep-rooted issues within the wrestling community and serves as a call for action against sexual harassment. As the investigation by the Delhi Police progresses, the focus will be on how the authorities address the wrestlers’ demands for justice and bring about meaningful change within the sport.
