We'll continue protest till Brij Bhushan is arrested, say wrestlers
Nine days after the Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment, the protesting wrestlers on Saturday said their fight against him continues and they are waiting for the charge sheet copy to decide on their next move.
In a joint address from their social media account, top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik said if a strong case is not made against Singh they would resume their protest.
“We do not think that our protest against Brij Bhushan is over. The government told us the charge sheet will be filed by June 15. It was done. Our lawyer is waiting to get a copy. We want to see whether Delhi Police has made a strong case or whether they have tried to save him,” Vinesh said.
“We’ll come in front of the people after that, decide if we want to come back to protest or go to court. We’ve anyway put our career, our lives, at stake for this fight and it will continue unless Brij Bhushan is arrested,” Vinesh, double world medallist, said.
It comes a day after criticism that the trio was trying to take an easy, one-bout route in the trial to qualify for upcoming international competitions.
They alleged that wrestler-turned BJP politicians Yogeshwar Dutt and Babita Phogat were trying to mislead people about the protest. “They are telling people our protest was political and that we wanted to get exemption from trials. It is absolutely baseless, wrong. We’re fighting to protect the girls in wrestling,” Sakshi Malik, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist, said.
They slammed 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist Dutt, who is a member of the Indian Olympic Association’s executive council. He had posted two videos on Friday claiming that the real motive behind the protest was to get exempted from the selection trials for the Asian Games and World Championships and that they have been exposed. Dutt also alleged he was asked to join the protest and offered the WFI president’s post if he did.
Dutt’s comments came after IOA’s ad hoc committee exempted the six protesting wrestlers from a full selection trial, allowing them to just face the winner of their division in a one-off bout to qualify.
Bajrang said: “We’ve not asked for a one-bout trial. We’ve just asked for more time to prepare because we were fighting for a cause and did not compete for six months. We can show the letter. If you prove us wrong, we will leave the mat forever. Me and Vinesh were the only wrestlers to win world championships medals last year. All three of us won CWG gold last year and you say ‘our wrestling is over’.”
Yogeshwar made me lose bouts: Bajrang
Bajrang, who was mentored by Dutt at the Chhatrasal Stadium before they had a fall-out, alleged that Dutt had asked him many times to lose bouts in tournaments so that he could continue to represent India.
Bajrang’s first of four world championships medals came in 2013 as an 18-year-old. He won bronze in 60kg before shifting to 65kg – Dutt’s weight category – and he often faced Dutt in competitions.
“We’re not snatching the rights of our juniors, but you did,” Bajrang alleged. “I used to stay with you. In a pro-league match, you told me, ‘3-3 se lad lete hain (let’s keep the score 3-3). I said ‘whatever you decide’. In an event in Italy, we were in the final and you told me, “Bajrang, I am first, you second”. Did you ever think what a junior like me would have gone through?
“After 2016 Rio Olympics, you again didn’t participate in any tournament. In 2018 you told me, “Bajrang, let me play in CWG, you fight in Asian Games”. You know it is easier to win gold in CWG. I told you, “Ab mein kanta kushti ladonga. Ab mein kushti nahin de sakta.” (I’ll fight hard on the mat, I can’t concede anymore.) It was then that you stopped talking to me. I never wanted to say all this in public, but you have forced me to do that,” Bajrang said.
Bajrang and Vinesh also alleged Dutt used to get Brij Bhushan to change his group in trials or go for internationals without trials.
“We have never gone to tournaments without trials, you have. In the 2015 world championships, which was also Olympic qualifying, you had ACL surgery a month before, but you went. I have proof. Amit Dhankar should have gone and who knows he could have qualified for the Olympics. You have betrayed the nation,” Bajrang alleged.
Vinesh said: “Yogeshwar Dutt never came to support the girls. There were many wrestlers in the first round of protest, but he used his influence to stop them from coming. They still support us. We have their messages saying they cannot come because of fear of losing their jobs.”
Sakshi said Dutt and Babita Phogat have been trying to establish that they are being supported by Congress. “Selection trials are not important to us, justice is,” she said. Soon after their allegations, Dutt in a live Twitter video rejected them.
“The entire wrestling fraternity knows what I have done for you. How you came to Chhatrasal in 2008. I took you to camps outside as my partner when you were so junior to me. You wanted to fight in 57kg. I told you I will compete in my category (65kg). Why will I do that if I had any ill intention?” he said, addressing Bajrang.
“I have competed in four Olympics, I had two surgeries, but I have never asked for exemption from trials...”, he said. “Their protest was against Brij Bhushan. Now they are going after me.”
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