Anurag Thakur, the minister of sports, promised that the elections for the Wrestling Federation of India would take place by June 30 and that the police inquiry into claims of sexual harassment against previous president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh would be finished by June 15.
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur’s Statement
Anurag Thakur, the Union Sports Minister, met with the protesting wrestlers on June 7 and informed them that the elections for the Wrestling Federation of India would take place by June 30. The wrestlers were also told by Anurag Thakur that the police investigation into their claims of sexual harassment against former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will be finished by June 15 and that they will be updated on the probe’s progress at that time.
After spending many hours with the protesting wrestlers who wanted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s arrest, the Union Sports Minister addressed the media that evening. Among the wrestlers that interacted with Anurag Thakur were Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia.
A charge Sheet will be filed against WFI Cheif
Anura Thakur spent a long six hours talking with the wrestlers. We have assured the wrestlers that the investigation will be finished by June 15 and that charge sheets will be filed. Anurag Thakur stated that the WFI election will be completed by June 30th and that the wrestlers have demanded that Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has served three terms as WFI president, not be re-elected.
The wrestlers wouldn’t stage a protest until June 15, according to Anurag Thakur’s statement to the media. Additionally, he announced the formation of a female-led internal complaints body for the Wrestling Federation of India, and the wrestlers who are going to be members of the ad hoc committee for technical support have proposed the names of two coaches for the WFI election. All of these demands were unanimously accepted, stated Anurag Thakur.
In a matter of five days, the government and the protesting wrestlers met twice. The wrestlers met with Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday night and presented him with their demands.
If nothing is done, the Protest will continue
Meanwhile, the wrestlers have made it obvious that the protest will continue until their requests are satisfied. “By June 15th, the government has vowed to have finished the police investigation. The government has also promised the wrestlers that it will also remove the FIRs that were lodged against them for marching obnoxiously towards the new Parliament building on May 28. We will continue our protest if no action is taken by June 15th, Punia had previously told reporters. ”
UWW Threatened WFI
Anurag Thakur, India’s Union Minister of Sports, has committed to holding the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections before the end of June in order to prevent a possible suspension of the organisation. The wrestlers have been protesting against the WFI president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan since the beginning of 2024 after accusing him of sexual harassment. The United World Wrestling (UWW) threatened to suspend India’s wrestling federation on May 30 if the matter didn’t get handled.
