New Delhi: Top wrestlers met Union Sport Minister Anurag Thakur Wednesday morning, hours after he invited them via Twitter to discuss their “issues” – or their long-standing demand for action against Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment charges.
Olympic medal winners Bajrang Punia and Sakshee Malikkh were accompanied to the minister’s Delhi home by farmer leader Rakesh Tikait. Tikait had dissuaded the grapplers last week from throwing their medals in the Ganga. The farmers, who belong to powerful khaps, also gave the government till 9 June to act against Singh.
Past midnight Tuesday, Thakur tweeted that the government was willing to have a discussion with the wrestlers over their issues. “I have once again invited the wrestlers for the same,” he said.
To this, Malikkh said Wednesday morning that they wouldn’t agree to just about anything that the government had to offer. Their protest would continue till their demand for quick action against Singh was met, she added. Malikkh has led the protracted agitation against Singh, a powerful Rajput leader from Uttar Pradesh, along with Punia and Vinesh Phogat.
Wrestling coach and Dronacharya awardee Mahavir Singh Phogat said Wednesday that the government’s offer for talks was a good sign. “The government has woken up after so many days. A solution must come out now,” he told news agency ANI.
The meeting with Thakur comes four days after a delegation of grapplers and their coaches met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and were advised to “allow the law to take its own course”.
Seven women wrestlers, including a minor, have accused Singh of inappropriate behaviour – a charge that has ignited protests since January.
The Delhi Police has registered two FIRs against Singh – one under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) on the minor’s complainant and the other for a comprehensive investigation into the other six.
India’s top wrestlers faced brutal police action in the capital on 28 May – one month into their open-air protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The agitation site was cleared out by the Delhi Police when wrestlers were on a march to the new parliament building which was being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that morning.
Also read: ‘Won’t agree to just anything,’ say protesting wrestlers after minister’s invite for talks