Several Olympian wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Pohogat, along with other top Indian grapplers, have restarted their protest against the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Bajrang Punia, an Olympic medalist, called on all political parties to join their protest. News agency ANI quoted the wrestler as saying, "This time, all parties are welcome to join our protest, whether it is BJP, Congress, AAP, or any other party. We're not affiliated with any party."
The wrestlers spent Sunday night sleeping on a footpath at Jantar Mantar in Central Delhi, sharing messages on social media, and requesting other wrestlers and people of India to join them in their protest on Monday, April 24.
Vinesh Pohogat shared a photo on Twitter of the protesting wrestlers sleeping on the footpath, expressing her disappointment by saying "Podium se footpath tak? Aadhi rat khule asmaan k niche nyay ki aa mien? (From podium to footpath. In the hope of justice under the open sky at midnight)."
The wrestlers have accused the WFI chief of sexual harassment, and seven women wrestlers in had filed a complaint against him. The Sports Ministry formed a five-member committee to investigate the allegations, and it submitted its report in the first week of April, but the findings have not yet been made public.
The wrestlers have returned to Jantar Mantar in Delhi to stage a fresh protest, demanding that the report be made public and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh be arrested. They have also accused the government of not responding to their repeated attempts to contact them.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have started a probe into the complaint against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and have sought a report from the probe committee set up by the Sports Ministry. The wrestlers' protest has gained momentum on social media, with many users slamming the government and the WFI chief.