Boxer Vijender Singh joins protesting wrestlers, questions PM's silence

Ace boxer Vijender Singh on Friday joined the wrestlers protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar against the Wrestling Federation of India and its chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

“I have come here to meet the wrestlers today,” Vijender Singh, also a Congress leader, told news agency ANI.

Later, holding a press conference with former Indian discus thrower Krishna Poonia, the allegations against Brij Bhushan were serious and strong, action should be taken against him under the appropriate section of the IPC.

“It is condemnable that the prime minister has been silent over the issue. There should be action at the earliest in the matter. Being a boy from Haryana's Bhiwani, I action under the appropriate section of the IPC,” the boxer said.

“I want justice to be served to those wrestlers, there must be a thorough probe into the allegations raised by wrestlers and there must be a CBI probe against those who’re involved in this,” Vijender Singh told ANI.

He also said there must be a live recording of the interaction between Union sports minister Anurag Thakur or any official with the wrestlers so that “we will get to know exactly what they have discussed and will understand who is wrong and who is right”.

On Thursday, several of India's top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia participated in the sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar that began on Wednesday.

Wrestlers have levelled charges of sexual harassment of women wrestlers by the WFI president and its coaches and of mismanagement in the functioning of the federation. They demanded a complete overhaul of the federation.

Under pressure to resign from his position over allegations of sexual exploitation of women wrestlers, Brij Bhushan on Friday said he will "expose" the "political conspiracy" in the evening at a press conference.

Brij Bhushan, who is also a BJP Lok Sabha MP from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh, said that he will hold a press conference at the Wrestling Training Centre in Nawabganj in Gonda district of the state.

The development comes hours after grapplers Malik, Punia, Phogat, Dahiya among others had a late-night meeting with Union sports minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday. Reports claimed Thakur is likely to meet with wrestlers in the national capital again on Friday.