Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur Invites Protesting Wrestlers For Discussion

The protesting wrestlers met the Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, at his residence on Saturday and spoke about their demands. Following this, Union sports minister Anurag Thakur invited the wrestlers to "discuss their concerns."

The wrestlers, including Olympians Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and others, have been indulging in a protest demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation Chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharna Singh for sexual harassment.

Sports Minister Invites Wrestlers

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur stated in a tweet shortly after midnight on Wednesday that the government was willing to discuss the wrestlers' issues. He stated that he had invited the wrestlers once again to discuss the same. This comes a few days after the wrestlers met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is also an MP of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The wrestlers, however, declared that they were dissatisfied after meeting with the Union home minister on Saturday. They claimed that they were not happy with the government’s response.

Wrestler Bajrang Punia demanded to know why WFI chief Brij Bhushan hasn’t yet been arrested even after two FIRs have been filed on him and issued a warning that the wrestlers will not back down until action is taken against Brij Bhushan. He also told the media that he was ordered not to reveal that the wrestlers had met with Amit Shah, but he had chosen to do so anyway.

The meeting with Union Home Minister Shah took place after the wrestlers declared that they would toss their medals into the Ganga river. This moment was prevented after farmer union leader Rakesh Tikait convinced the protesters not to submerge their hard-earned medals into the Ganga.

Following 10 complaints and two FIRs filed by the wrestlers, including a minor, the Delhi police recorded statements from Brij Bhushan’s associates and staff who worked at his residence in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda as a part of the investigation into the sexual harassment charges levied against him. The police are in the process of collecting evidence against the WFI chief in connection with the case and will submit a report in court accordingly.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia have resumed their duties at the railways after withdrawing from the ongoing protests. However, reports clarify that the wrestlers have decided to continue fighting.

The wrestlers confirmed this in a tweet on Monday, saying that if their job was seen as an obstacle in any way to obtaining justice, they would not even take ten seconds to leave it.

Suggested Reading: Protesting Wrestlers Meet Amit Shah, Demand Chargesheet Against WFI Chief