Sports minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday asked protesting wrestlers not to take any step that would undermine sports, a day after the grapplers threatened to immerse their medals in river Ganga at Haridwar.
Assuring that an investigation into the allegations against the Wrestling Federation of India's former chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is underway, Thakur urged the wrestlers to be patient and trust the process.
"I urge the wrestlers to be patient till the outcome of the investigation. I also urge them not to take any step that would undermine sports," the minister said speaking to reporters.
Country's top wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who have been protesting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for over a month, on Tuesday reached Har ki Pauri in Haridwar along with hundreds of their supporters to immerse their medals in the river Ganga, a day after they were manhandled by the Delhi Police during their attempt to protest in front of the new Parliament building. They also said they would go on a lifelong hunger strike after immersion.
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Videos shared on social media showed them shedding tears as they prepared to afloat their life’s hard work. However, they were persuaded by BKU chief Naresh Tikait and other Khap and farmer leaders not to do so.
The grapplers agreed for a 5-day ultimatum to resolve their issues.
The wrestlers are demanding the arrest of WFI president Singh, a BJP MP, who has repeatedly denied the allegations of sexually harassing several women grapplers.
‘Will Hang Myself’
Singh has issued a defiant statement following the wrestlers’ move in Haridwar once again refuting all the claims. "If a single allegation against me is proven, I will hang myself. If you (wrestlers) have any evidence, present it to the Court, and I am ready to accept any punishment," he said.
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"It has been four months since they (wrestlers) want me to be hanged, but the government is not hanging me. So they were going to immerse their medals in the Ganga. Brij Bhushan will not be hanged by throwing medals in the Ganga. If you have proof, give it to the court and if the court hangs me, I will accept it," the Kaiserganj MP said.
The Delhi Police has registered two FIRs against Singh.
The first FIR pertains to the allegations levelled by a minor and it has been lodged under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act along with the sections of the Indian Penal Code concerning outraging modesty. The other FIR has been registered over complaints from women wrestlers pertaining to outraging modesty.
