A number of
renowned Indian wrestlers have taken to the streets of New Delhi's Jantar
Mantar demanding justice for the #MeToo allegations they have made against the
head of the Indian Wrestling Federation, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
This is the
second time wrestlers have had to take to the streets, demanding action be
taken against the WFI chief for alleged sexual harassment of several female
wrestlers. As the protest continued, Indian Golden Boy Neeraj Chopra took to
Twitter to request the authorities to act quickly on the issue.
Taking to
Twitter, the spear thrower admitted he was heartbroken as he watched wrestlers
take to the streets demanding justice. He wrote:
"It hurts
me to see our athletes on the streets demanding justice. They have worked hard
to represent our great nation and make us proud. As a nation, we are
responsible for safeguarding the integrity and dignity of every individual,
athlete or not. What's happening should never happen. This is a sensitive
issue, and must be dealt with in an impartial and transparent manner.
"Pertaining
authorities must take quick action in order to ensure that justice is
served."
Ace Indian
wrestlers like Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and many other
wrestlers are involved in the protest against the WFI chief.
Earlier,
Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra supported the wrestlers and their protest
in a moving tweet on Wednesday.
"As athletes, we train hard every day to represent our country on
the international stage. It is deeply concerning to see our athletes finding it
necessary to protest on the streets regarding the allegations of harassment in
the Indian wrestling administration," Bindra tweeted.
"My heart goes out to all those who have been affected. We must
ensure that this issue is handled properly, with the athletes' concerns heard
and addressed fairly and independently. This incident highlights the crucial
need for a proper safeguarding mechanism that can prevent harassment and ensure
justice for those affected. We must work towards creating a safe and secure
environment for all athletes to thrive in," he added.
During the last four days, the wrestlers slept and trained at the protest center. The soldiers held a candlelight vigil at Jantar Mantar in the national capital on Wednesday as they continue their protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh. Vinesh Poghat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik at the candlelight vigil.