After a three-month break while a committee was set up to look into allegations of sexual harassment against the head of the wrestling federation, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, prominent wrestlers from India, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sakshi Malik, have resumed their protest. On Sunday, the athletes returned back to Jantar Mantar and requested a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to talk about the accusations against Brij Bhushan Singh, a BJP MP.Neeraj Chopra and Kapil Dev in support of protesting wrestlersNeeraj Chopra, Indias sole Olympic gold medalist in track and field, expressed solidarity with the protesting wrestlers and urged authorities to act immediately. Chopra tweeted that it is painful to watch athletes demanding justice in the streets because they have worked so hard to represent the nation and uphold its honour. He emphasised that it is the duty of the nation to protect the integrity and dignity of every person, athlete or not. Chopra added that while the matter is delicate, it should be handled fairly and openly, with authorities acting quickly to guarantee that justice is done.pic.twitter.com/SzlEhVnjep— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) April 28, 2023Indias former cricket team captain and World Cup champion Kapil Dev expressed his support for the protesting wrestlers by posting a story on his official Instagram account. “Will they ever get justice” he tweeted alongside a picture of Bajrang and Vinesh, among others, at a press conference. Similarly, wrestler Ravi Dahiya supported his teammates on Twitter by adding that athletes and military personnel are the pride of the country and should be valued, as is the obligation of the country.The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is still examining the accusations made against the WFI chief, and the government-established oversight committees findings have not yet been made public. The wrestlers were frustrated after three months and resumed their protest at Jantar Mantar on April 23. In addition, they petitioned the Supreme Court to order the arrest of the WFI chief.#JaiHind 🇮🇳🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/L0JQyZaJyF— Ravi Kumar Dahiya (@ravidahiya60) April 27, 2023Brij Bhushan Singh responds to sexual harassment accusations and protestBrij Bhushan Singh, the head of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), who is being accused of sexual harassment and is dealing with new protests from Indian wrestlers, issued a video on Thursday. The BJP MP said in the video that he would welcome death the day he lost the will to fight and felt helpless. Brij Bhushan said in the clip, “Instead of living such a life, I would wish that death takes me in its embrace.”Brij Bhushan Singh Vinesh Phogat questions, “Why are top cricketers and other prominent people silent”Vinesh Phogat, a medallist at the World Championships, expressed her disappointment about the silence of top sports personalities, especially star cricketers, saying that she is “pained” to see that “they dont have the courage” to challenge people in authority. Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia are also joining the wrestlers protest against the BJP MP.
