NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: Persistent drizzle disrupted the wrestlers’ protest on Monday and caused a bit of chaos even as more support poured in for the athletes with former India cricketer and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu demanding “custodial interrogation” of WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, whose powers have been taken over by IOA’s ad hoc committee.
The supporters, largely farmers and khap members, jostled for space to save themselves from rain in the afternoon. The wrestlers said they won’t leave the protest site and will brave the weather conditions. “We will not move from here. We will continue to sleep here even if it means sleeping on wet mattresses. We are not going to leave,” Bajrang Punia said.
“The weather is going to be like this for the next two days but we are ready to face these obstacles.” The Delhi Police is yet to record the statements of the victims, who have levelled allegation of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan, officials said. Police are likely to question Brij Bhushan in connection with the FIRs, though no official notice has been served on him as yet.
Sidhu spent more than two hours at the site and was seen having an animated discussion with Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik. Later in his address, Sidhu asked why Brij Bhushan had not been arrested as yet despite a case being registered against him under the POCSO Act. Sidhu questioned the police for delaying the filing of FIR against Brij Bhushan.
“To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice. Why was the FIR delayed? Not making the FIR public reflects that the FIR is mild and not corroborative to the complainant’s complaint,” Sidhu said.
‘Conduct cadet nationals’
The WFI activities have been taken over by three-member ad hoc committee of the Indian Olympic Association and since they will be organising tournaments and arrange training, Singh has urged that wrestling activities begin as early as possible. “I am ready to be hanged, but for God sake, don’t stop wrestling activities including championships as it would be detrimental to the junior wrestlers,” he made a dramatic appeal on Monday.