Indian Olympic Affiliation president PT Usha on Wednesday met Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and different wrestlers camped at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for 11 days to flag sexual assault allegations towards Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Singh.
The previous track-and-field icon left with out talking to media gathered on the protest web site however Punia informed reporters later she had vowed help.
“PT Usha met us and warranted her help. She stated she is first an athlete after which an administrator. She assured she’s going to assist us in getting justice. We are going to stay right here until Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh goes to jail.”
“PT Usha stated she was misinterpreted,” Punia, an Olympic medal-winning athlete, stated on her remark concerning the protesting wrestlers’ lack of self-discipline.
PT Usha’s go to comes days after she declared the wrestlers’ public show amounted to ‘indiscipline’ and that their actions had been ‘tarnishing picture of India’. She additionally criticised them for not first coming to the IOA and never ready for the outcomes of an inquiry into their claims towards Brij Bhushan Singh.
READ | PT Usha says wrestlers ‘tarnishing India’s picture’. Punia responds
Brij Bhushan is a Lok Sabha MP from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Celebration.
“IOA is having a committee for sexual harassment. As an alternative of going to the streets they (the protesting wrestlers) might have come to us earlier… however they didn’t come to IOA. It isn’t good for sports activities… not just for wrestlers, they need to even have some self-discipline,” she had stated.
The comment triggered a livid response from the wrestlers and opposition politicians, together with the Congress’ Shashi Tharoor, Priyanka Chaturvedi from the Shiv Sena (ex-Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s faction), and Mahua Moitra of the Trinamool.
READ | Tharoor, Chaturvedi, Moitra slam PT Usha over remarks on wrestlers
“Being a girl athlete, she is just not listening to different ladies athletes. We’ve got adopted her since childhood and (had been) impressed by her. The place is (the) indiscipline right here…” Malik requested.
Phogat, a medallist on the Commonwealth Video games and the World Championships referred to as PT Usha’s feedback ‘insensitive’ and Punia stated, “You are feeling unhappy when she says these items as a result of she is the IOA chief and a girl herself…”
READ | ‘She herself cried…’: Wrestlers on PT Usha’s ‘tarnishing picture’ comment
He additionally stated the wrestlers had, in reality, approached the nationwide Olympics physique ‘three months again… however no justice was given’.
Punia was referring to a committee set by by the sports activities ministry in January to probe the allegations towards Brij Bhushan Singh. That committee submitted its report – not made public – final month and the WFI then referred to as for an election.
Brij Bhushan has stated he won’t contest subsequent week’s election.
Irate wrestlers reconvened on April 23 demanding additional motion towards the outgoing WFI chief and questioning the dearth of police motion on their claims.
Final week Delhi Police lastly agreed to file a FIR, or first data report – after the wrestlers moved the Supreme Court docket; Chief Justice DY Chandrachud referred to as the wrestlers’ allegations ‘severe’. Finally two FIRs had been registered towards Brij Bhushan Singh, who has repeatedly denied the wrestlers’ claims.
READ | ‘…with 1,000 youngsters. I ate ‘shilajit’ with roti?’: Brij Bhushan asks
Punia referred to as the FIRs ‘the primary vital victory in our lengthy battle for justice’ however others warned they’d proceed their protest so long as their considerations weren’t heard. “We can’t name off the dharna until Brij Bhushan is arrested,” Malik stated, “This (FIR) is step one. We’re right here for the lengthy battle.”