"Why delay in legal proceedings against WFI chief" Sachin Pilot questions administration
May 19, 2023
New Delhi [India], May 19 : Congress leader Sachin Pilot who met the wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh on Friday, questioned the administration asking why it is taking so much time in action against the WFI chief.
"For the past 26 days, these honourable wrestlers have been sitting at Jantar Mantar in protest, everyone visits them in support but there has been no action taken for them...why the administration is taking so much time? This is clear that when youth, farmers and wrestlers are unhappy then the country cannot be happy as well...," Pilot said while talking to the media persons at the protest site.
The Congress leader met protesting wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and others.
The wrestlers had marched from Jantar Mantar to Bangla Sahib Gurudwara in New Delhi on their 25th day of protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Grapplers including Punia, Sakshi, Vinesh and others joined the march demanding the arrest of the WFI chief charged with sexual harassment of athletes.
Pilot further said that there should be "unbiased" legal proceedings against Singh who is accused in an alleged case of sexual harassment.
"They (protesters) are demanding only fair legal proceedings without any biases involved, I hope they will soon receive justice," the Congress leader said.
Earlier, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had also reached Jantar Mantar on April 29 and met the protesting wrestlers.
"I don't have any expectations from the PM, because if he is worried about these wrestlers, then why has he not talked to them or met them yet? The nation is standing with them and I am very proud that these wrestlers have raised their voices against such an issue," she had said.
The protestors have been demanding the registration of FIR against the WFI chief and his arrest into the allegations of sexual harassment. Two separate FIRs were registered on April 28 following the Supreme Court's notice to Delhi Police into the plea filed by the wrestlers.
Earlier on April 24, The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will be forming an ad-hoc committee to conduct the elections for the Executive Committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) within 45 days of its formation, to manage day-to-day affairs of the body, including the selection of athletes and making entries for the participation of players in international events. This committee will be functioning for an interim period till a new Executive Committee takes charge.
Delhi Police on Friday filed a status report on the application moved by woman wrestlers in an alleged offence of sexual offence levelled against
WFI Chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The court was also informed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the matter.
