Wrestlers against the Wrestling Federation of India | Phogat Sister's New "Dangal"
A three-time Commonwealth Games medallist and an Olympian, Ms Babita Phogat is the youngest of Phogat sisters whose lives inspired the Bollywood movie 'Dangal'.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday accused Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually harassing women wrestlers. She was joined by other top wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, at a protest in Delhi's Jantar Mantar against the Federation and Singh, who denied the allegations.
She claimed to have received death threats from people close to Singh and said at least 20 women had been sexually exploited by him.
These wrestlers led by Phogat and Punia met Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at his home and sought speedy action. The sports minister told them to wait for an official response to the allegations from the Wrestling Federation of India.
“I know at least 10-20 women wrestlers who have told me about the sexual exploitation they faced at the hands of (the) WFI President. They told me their stories. I can’t take their names now but I can definitely reveal the names if we get to meet the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of the country,” Vinesh said addressing the media after staging a four-hour dharna at Jantar Mantar.
A three-time Commonwealth Games medallist and an Olympian, Ms Babita Phogat is the youngest of Phogat sisters whose lives inspired the Bollywood movie 'Dangal'. Now an office-bearer in BJP's youth wing Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, she addressed the protesting wrestlers at the protest site today. Phogat said that she had heard of instances of abuse in her career as a wrestler as well. “There is no smoke without fire,” she added. “These voices are important.”
The recent accusations against Singh come weeks after a senior woman athletics coach had accused Haryana Sports Minister Sandeep Singh (another BJP member) of sexual harassment. On January 1, the Chandigarh Police had booked Singh, who is also the BJP MLA from Pehowa in Kurukshetra.
Bajrang, Anshu Malik, Sakshi and Vinesh have demanded that the WFI be disbanded and a new federation be formed.
Word Smitheries
Dharna - Protest
Disbanded - (with reference to an organized group) break up or cause to break up.
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