My support with wrestlers, willing to mediate: Anil Vij
May 05, 2023
Ambala (Haryana) [India], May 5 : Haryana Home and Health Minister Anil Vij on Friday extended his support to the protesting wrestlers near Jantar Mantar, in the national capital.
They are sitting in protest demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and his removal from the post in the light of allegations of sexual harassment.
Speaking to ANI, the Haryana Home minister said he had complete sympathy and support for the protesting wrestlers.
He even assured the grapplers that he was willing to mediate and hold talks with the government on their behalf.
"This entire matter is now being addressed at the highest level. Since I have also been a sports minister, my sympathies and support are with the protesting wrestlers. If they want me to mediate and talk to the government, I am willing to do so," Vij said.
Earlier, on Friday, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said the Delhi Police was conducting an unbiased investigation against the wrestling federation chief and were working to meet the demands of the protesting grapplers.
He also urged the grapplers to allow the ongoing probe to get over.
"A demand had been put forward to form a committee and a panel was constituted. Two FIRs has also been registered by Delhi Police
and Supreme Court also gave its verdict. Delhi Police is conducting a fair investigation," said the Union Minister.
The Union Minister said that free and fair elections of the Wrestling Federation of India has been taken into consideration and that the Indian Olympic Association is working towards it.
"They asked for a committee, which has been already constituted," Thakur said on the sidelines of an event in Lucknow.
On April 23, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshee Mallik returned to the protest site at Jantar Mantar, claiming that six women wrestlers, and a minor, filed a sexual harassment complaint against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at Connaught Place Police Station but Delhi Police did not register an FIR. The protesting grapplers also demanded that the Sports Ministry make the findings of the Oversight Committee public.
Seven days into the protest, police registered two FIRs against WFI president.
