We talked about a few different topics in depth. In the wake of the wrestlers’ meeting with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Bajrang Punia stated that the minister had requested that the wrestlers refrain from holding protests until the conclusion of the police probe, which is expected to be on June 15.
Wrestlers who were protesting WFI chairman Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh met with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday and decided to halt their strike until June 15. However, they emphasised that the action is not yet complete and will continue until Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is removed from his position.
At the key meeting between the top wrestlers and Thakur, which took place at the minister’s mansion and lasted for six hours, the meeting was conducted by Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia. The meeting was held in an effort to reach an agreement with the protesting grapplers.
As the wrestlers have been insistent that they will continue their protest until the WFI chief, who they have accused of sexual harassment, is arrested, the Sports Minister decided that a meeting was necessary to break the impasse. The meeting was called upon by the Sports Minister.
After the meeting, Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia addressed the media and said, “We had a discussion on some issues.” The minister has urged that we refrain from holding protests until the 15th of June, which is when the police inquiry is expected to be finished. In addition to that, he stated that the safety of the female wrestlers will be ensured. We have asked that any and all FIRs that have been filed against wrestlers be retracted, and he has agreed to our request.
“The government has given us their word that the inquiry being conducted by the police would be finished before the 15th of June. We have demanded that any and all FIRs that have been filed against wrestlers be retracted, and he has agreed to our request. We will continue our demonstration if no action is made by the 15th of June,” Punia stated further.
After assuring the wrestlers that the inquiry into the case will be finished by June 15, Thakur made the following statement to the media: “I had a long discussion with the wrestlers that lasted for six hours.” Wrestlers have been given our word that the investigation would be wrapped up by the 15th of June, at which point charge sheets will be presented. By the 30th of June, we will have chosen a new WFI president.
Vinesh Phogat, a major face of the protest, did not attend the meeting because she was required to attend a pre-scheduled ‘panchayat’ in her home village of Balali, which is located in the state of Haryana. At the meeting with Thakur, in addition to Punia, Sakshi Malik, who had won a bronze medal at the Rio Olympic Games, and Satyawart Kadiyan, a wrestler who is married to Sakshi, were present. Rakesh Tikait, the leader of the BKU, has been showing support for the grapplers throughout their protest; nevertheless, he was not present at the essential meeting.
Wrestlers had continued their protest against Brij Bhushan and the national federation on April 23 at Jantar Mantar, where the demonstration had been previously held. On May 28, as they began their march to the new Parliament building without permission, the police detained them for disrupting law and order and brought them away from the protest area. They were later released.
Wrestlers who are participating in the protest are meeting with the authorities for the second time in the past five days. The wrestlers had a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday night and presented him with their demands at the meeting.
Even though the administration has granted the most of their demands, the arrest of Singh, who is a member of the BJP Parliamentary Party, continues to be a contentious issue.
On Monday of this week, the wrestlers went back to their jobs with the Northern Railways. Both Punia and Sakshi Malik are Operating System Drivers for Railways.