“Matter more political”: MoS VK Singh on wrestlers’ protest against WFI president

NEW DELHI, (ANI): Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Gen VK Singh said that the wrestlers’ protest against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is more political and other aspects are lesser known.

The protest by the ace wrestlers, including Olympic and Commonwealth Games (CWG) medallists, is underway in Delhi, as women wrestlers levelled serious charges of sexual harassment by the president and coaches of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and of mismanagement in the functioning of the federation.

“I would not like to speak on this. My personal opinion is that the matter is more political and other aspects are lesser known,” said MoS Gen (Retd) VK Singh.

The wrestlers’ protest was called off early on Saturday with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur announcing that Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will “step aside” till the investigation by the “oversight committee” into the allegations is completed.

Thakur announced the constitution of an oversight committee to probe the allegations levelled against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and assured that justice would prevail in four weeks.

“Considering the demands of the sportspersons, we have decided to constitute an oversight committee, whose names will be announced tomorrow. The investigation will be completed in the next four weeks, wherein all the allegations levelled will be thoroughly probed to take a final decision,” Thakur said addressing a press conference at his residence in the national capital during the early hours of Saturday.

Thakur also said that WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh would step aside till the probe ends. “The committee will see all the day-to-day workings till the investigation completes, and till then Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will step aside and cooperate with the investigation,” he said.

Further addressing the mediapersons, Thakur said that the players put forth their demands and a detailed discussion about it took place. “We had issued a notice to the Wrestling Federation of India when the allegations were levelled and asked them to respond within 72 hours, and they did. Similarly, we seek their timely support and cooperation so that the matter can be resolved soon,” he added. In the press conference, Thakur was accompanied by wrestlers Sakshee Malikkh, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Ravi Dahiya, and several others.

Extending gratitude for the government’s concern, ace India wrestler Bajrang Punia said, “The Union Sports Minister listened to our demands and has assured us that a proper investigation will be done. I thank him and we are hopeful that a fair probe will be done, hence we are calling off the protest.”

However, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh refuted the allegations and claimed he would expose the ‘political conspiracy’ in a press conference in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda yesterday. (ANI)