Indian Wrestlers Demand Action Against Sexual Harassment, Raise Concerns Over Safety Of Accusers

The slogan rang out across the crowded protest venue at Delhi바카라�s Jantar Mantra where for the past four days, Indian wrestlers have been demonstrating in protest and demanding the arrest of the sport바카라�s governing body chief who faces several charges of sexual harassment. Renowned athletes Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and others have gathered at Jantar Mantar to resume a protest they had started earlier in January this year. 

Having disclosed the sexual assault claims against the BJP leader and chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, Brij Bhushan Singh earlier this year, the athletes claim they have been coerced into action due to denial of the promises made to them. 

At Jantar Mantar, the mood was electrifying with slogans coupled with lyrical composition as adamant protests braved media scrutiny and the glare of cameras and lights in the sweltering April heat. This time, the protesters claim they are more adamant than before and will only rest once constructive action is taken by authorities. From making hollow promises, the official response has now transformed into complete silence.

On Wednesday, world championship wrestling medallist Vinesh Phogat tweeted a photo of the protesters with the caption 바카라�From podium to footpath바카라�. 

Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi바카라�s 바카라�blindness바카라� towards the 바카라�mann ki baat of desh ki beti바카라�, wrestler Sakshi Malik recalled how he had congratulated and honoured athletes like herself after winning medals for the country. Malik is the first Indian woman to win a medal for wrestling at the Olympics in 2016 when she won bronze.

The wrestler declared 바카라�Respecting the Prime Minister is our duty. We trust our elders, this is in our upbringing. We are respectfully asking him to listen to our demands바카라�. She adds that the silence from leaders like Smriti Irani is unacceptable, especially when they ignore the conditions of national athletes sleeping on the road in protest. 

World Wrestling Champion Bajrang Punia who is part of the demonstrations tells the media that the protesting athletes have been facing several restrictions from the police including not being allowed to practice at the protest site. 바카라�We have tournaments lined up (Asian Games), we tried to train today in the morning here (on Wednesday, April 26). We got training mats. But the police didn바카라�t allow us to bring them in,바카라� Punia states.

바카라�When we started training, they said you don바카라�t have permission to train here. We are not allowed to take the food inside. Do we have to take permission to breathe from the police as well?바카라� He added 바카라�We are running at Jantar Mantar, what should have happened in tournaments is happening here. It is very saddening.바카라�

The protests have started to receive political mileage. After the public display of support by former Governor Satpal Malik, various khap panchayat leaders participated in the rally on April 26. 바카라�The support we seek from the government, we are getting from the people,바카라� said Vinesh Phogat said at a press conference at Jantar Mantar.

Safety of survivors in question?

Addressing the media at the protest site, the athletes have also raised concerns about the safety of the women and their families who have come forward to complain against Brij Bhushan Singh and stressed the need to protect the identities of the women coming forward. 

Reacting to a statement issued by Brij Bhushan asking for proof of the alleged assaults, wrestler Satyawart Kadian told Outlook, 바카라�This is not right. When the court itself provides that the identity of the accuser need not be disclosed in cases of sexual assault, he should not be saying this. This is him going against the court바카라�.

He further added, 바카라�Even the little girls who spoke up are getting threats now.바카라� 

Bajrang Punia told the media that even the athletes at the protest were not aware of the names of the accusers. 바카라�We tried to protect their identity, but now their relatives are getting threats. Brij바카라�s people have reached the girl바카라�s house. If he is innocent why are they doing all this? Why are they trying to suppress the voices?바카라� He further announced that if anything happens to the athletes, the Government will be solely responsible.

Following the allegations of committee member Radhika Sreeman 바카라�snatching바카라� the final IOA report from Babita Phogat before she could read it, Sreeman issued a statement that 바카라�Only one girl raised the issue of assault during the inquiry.바카라� However, being a witness to the committee proceedings, Sakshi Malik confirmed that 바카라�When the IOA committee was set up to investigate the allegations, there were in total 12-15 people.  Each girl there talked about sexual harassment. Even the female members of the committee started crying listening to this.바카라� 

Vinesh Phogat states that ironically, 바카라�the report is clean chit as not even one case is written about. We are thankful that at least Radhika ma바카라�am acknowledged one case.바카라� She added 바카라�Even if it is one case, is it negligible? Sexual assault for one or many can바카라�t and shouldn바카라�t go unnoticed.바카라� Phogat requested the athletes through the media to join the cause in huge numbers. She declared that everyone at the protest is putting their lives and careers at stake. The individual damage will lessen when more align with the cause. 

Questions linger on as the protest blankets the Jantar Mantar streets - Is this a revival of the #Metoo movement in India through sports? And will silence from the BJP hurt its 바카라�khiladi바카라� vote bank and women supporters ahead of the upcoming poll?