[ad_1]
There is no question of resigning, said Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
New Delhi:
Wrestling body chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, facing #MeToo allegations and pushback from wrestlers, vehemently denied all the charges and said that he “will not resign”.
Here are the top points in this big story:
-
“There is no question of resigning. I have not spoken with the Prime Minister’s Office and Home Minister,” he said, adding, he will address a press conference at 4 PM today.
-
This comes after Sports Minister Anurag Thakur met the protesting wrestlers in a late night meeting that lasted four hours but failed to make a headway. The meeting, which began at 10 pm, ended at 2 AM.
-
The minister has urged the protesters to wait as the ministry has sought a response from the federation. The wrestlers’ body would file its reply by 3 PM today.
-
In its reply, the Wrestling Federation of India is likely to deny all allegations of sexual harrassment and and misappropriation of funds, said sources.
-
Celebrated Indian wrestlers, including Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik besides Vinesh Phogat and others are staging a sit-in protest for the last two days at Jantar Mantar against the WFI president, accusing him of sexual exploitation and intimidation and have demanded that the federation be disbanded.
-
The wrestlers are not ready to settle at anything less than resignation of the WFI president.
-
Earlier on Wednesday, the centre had made it clear that if the WFI does not respond in the next three days, the sports ministry “will proceed to initiate action against the federation in terms of the provisions of the National Sports Development Code, 2011.”
-
“Unfortunately we did not get a satisfactory response. Yesterday, we had 1-2 victims amongst us but now we have 5-6 wrestlers, who were harassed (sexually). We can’t name them now, after all they are daughters and sisters of somebody. But if we are forced to disclose their identity, it will be a black day,” said Vinesh, a two-time World Championship medallist, on Thursday afternoon while speaking to the media.
-
Olympian wrestler Bajrang Punia said: “Five to six women wrestlers are here with us who have faced these atrocities and we have evidence to prove it.”
-
Former wrestler and Haryana BJP leader Babita Phogat reached the protest site yesterday to meet the wrestlers as a mediator from the government and assured the grapplers that their demands will be met. “I have assured them that the government is with them. I will try that their issues are resolved today,” Babita said.
[ad_2]
Source link