Two wrestlers, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, paid Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur a visit on Wednesday to talk about the issues they have been raising throughout their ongoing protest.
Anurag Thakur reportedly welcomed the wrestlers, stating that the administration would be open to talking with them about their concerns.
Earlier today, Anurag Thakur took to Twitter and wrote, “The government is willing to have discussion with the wrestlers on their issues. I have once again invited the wrestlers for the same.”
Before arriving at the residence of the sports minister, Sakshi was quoted by ANI saying, “We will discuss the proposal given by the government with our seniors and supporters. Only when everyone gives their consent that the proposal is fine, then we will agree. It won’t happen that we will agree to anything that the government says and end our protest.”
It was then made clear that earlier rumours of Sakshi Malik and other protesting wrestlers leaving the demonstration were false.
Taking to Twitter, Sakshi said, “This news is completely wrong. In the fight for justice, none of us has backed down, nor will we. Along with Satyagraha, I am fulfilling my responsibility in Railways. Our fight continues till justice is served. Please don’t spread any wrong news.”
It should be noted that leading Indian wrestlers staged a sit-in protest in Jantar Mantar in January of this year, calling for the dismissal of Brij Bhushan Singh from the WFI’s headquarters. They had alleged sexual harassment and abuse of wrestlers by the organisation and its leader. At the Connaught Place Police Station in New Delhi, seven female wrestlers made a police report against Bhushan.
They began protesting once more in April, this time calling for the arrest of Brij Bhushan Singh, the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), in connection with the sexual harassment case.
