Wrestlers resume government duty but refuse to end protest against Brij Bhushan

Top wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, protesting against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh, resumed.

Their government services on Monday. However, they refuted reports of having backtracked from the protest. Olympian Sakshi Malik said the fight would continue until justice was served. “We haven’t withdrawn our protest and we won’t.

We will continue to protest until we get justice. As far as (resuming job at) Railway is concerned, I had some responsibilities and that is why I came here (office). But I want to make it clear that these rumours are being spread to weaken our movement,” she told India Today TV.

“We are chalking out a plan on how to take forward the protest,” she added.

Bajrang Punia also dismissed the reports that claimed grapplers had withdrawn the protest. “The news of withdrawing the movement is just a rumour. The news is being spread to harm us. We have neither retreated nor have we withdrawn the protest. The news claiming that women wrestlers have withdrawn the FIR is also false. The fight will continue till justice is served,” said Punia on his social media handle.

On Saturday (June 3), a meeting was held between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and protesting wrestlers at the former’s residence in Delhi and went on till late that night, as the wrestlers raised their demand for Brij Bhushan’s arrest.

The meeting with the home minister was held days after the protesting wrestlers went to Haridwar to immerse their medals in the Ganga, but farmers’ leader Naresh Tikait stopped them. Their return was followed by an ultimatum to the government demanding the arrest of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh before June 9.

Wrestlers have been protesting against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, alleging he sexually harassed women grapplers, including a minor. So far, two FIRs have been lodged against Brij Bhushan, and he has been booked under the Pocso Act.