Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, two wrestlers, arrived at the residence of Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday for a truce meeting
Wrestlers protest [Photo : SNS Subrata Dutta]
Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, two wrestlers, arrived at the residence of Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday for a truce meeting. The wrestlers have been asked to “fresh talks” by the sports ministry. Days have passed since the wrestlers visited Home Minister Amit Shah at his New Delhi home. The conference, however, was deemed “inconclusive” by the wrestlers.
“We will talk with our elders and supporters about the government’s plan . We won’t agree until everyone has said that the proposal is acceptable. We won’t accept anything the government offers in exchange for ending our demonstration, Malik stated in a phone conversation with ANI.
Anurag Thakur had previously stated on Tuesday that the administration is open to talking with the wrestlers about their concerns. He had written in a tweet, “I have once again invited the wrestlers for the same.
The government is willing to have a discussion with the wrestlers on their issues.
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I have once again invited the wrestlers for the same.
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) June 6, 2023
The wrestlers who were protesting, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Poghat, and Bajrang Punia, went back to work on Monday. But they resolved to keep fighting for justice. The same day, Sakshi Malik encouraged news organisations to cease publishing false information in a tweet, revealing that no one had given up on the pursuit of justice. Three further demands have been made by the wrestlers: arrest Brij Bhushan Singh, clean up Indian wrestling, and hold fair WFI elections going forward.
On the basis of the complaints of seven female wrestlers, Brij Bhushan Singh has received two FIRs thus far. Demanding sexual favours, inappropriate touching, numerous instances of molestation (including groping, pulling up t-shirts, touching the navel and buttocks, and sliding hands over breasts), and using blackmail and intimidation techniques like stalking to silence the players are a few of the main allegations mentioned.
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