Placed prominently on the website of Wrestlers Federation of India (WFI) former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s picture cannot be removed by the interim committee, says the interim chief of Wrestlers Federation of India.
After The Statesman filed a story, there was a demand placed before the interim chief of WFI, to remove Brij Bhushan’s picture from the website. The demand to remove the picture surfaced from the protesting wrestlers, coaches, and referees. They believe that the picture and designation give a wrong impression when people see the wrestlers and former president together. They believe this one picture needs to be removed.
However, the WFI interim committee Chief Bhupendra Bajwa has asked to wait till the WFI elections. “Well, I think without the elections of WFI, the removal of the picture is not possible. Anyways we have carried out a stop-gap arrangement. We have restricted rights for ourselves so I do not think we will be able to do much about it”.
The federation is currently managed by an interim committee. The committee is headed by Bhupinder Bajwa.
There is a protest going on for the past two months demanding the removal and arrest of Brij Bhusan Singh, the former WFI president by the wrestlers.
The former President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh and medal-winning top Indian wrestlers are all placed in a positive light on the official website of the Wrestling Federation of India as pride of the nation.
“It is a wrong projection of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as President of WFI, although he has officially been removed,” says wrestler Sangeeta Phogat and wife of Bajrang Punia,
“We will write to the interim chief of WFI and demand the removal of the picture. We have already conveyed it to him. This is unacceptable and unfair. The entire controversy is because of him and he is placed prominently on the official website” said Gyan Singh who coached wrestler Sakshi Malik in her initial days till she played nationals.
The home page of the Wrestlers Federation of India still flashes Bajrung Punia, Sakshi Malik, and other prominent wrestlers as Golden Team of Wrestling. Along with the medal- winning wrestlers of India there is a two-minute video of Brij Bhushan Singh praising the wrestlers and their efforts in making the nation proud.
The website has many sections. Quick links, WFI documentation, Executive Committee, and Committees, notices and circulars, SAI and Government sanctions, Calendars.
The moment we click on the Executive committee picture of Bajrang Punia in action surfaces. And on top of this picture, the executive committee is written. And below the picture, the names of all the members and the president’s name have been mentioned.
The first name on the page is Brij Bhushan Singh which highlights him as the President of WFI. The other members on the website are I. D. Nanawati, Asit Saha, Hamza Bin Omer, N, Phoni, Neikhrolo Khalo, Darshan Lal, Karan Bhushan Singh, V.N. Prasood, Satyapal Singh Deshwal, and Sanjay Kumar Singh apart from other members of the federation.
“The pictures of Brij Bhushan Singh should be removed without any delay. Allowing him to be flashed on a respectable platform will work as an advantage for him. Why should he get any kind of advantage?” asks Jagbeer Singh, a nominated coach for International matches with the WFI.