Please listen to our ‘Mann Ki Baat’: Wrestlers to PM Modi

As the protest entered its fourth day since resumption on Sunday, the wrestlers, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Satyawart Kadiyan, began training at the protest site. Pic/PTI

"Why are you not listening to our ‘Mann Ki Baat'," protesting wrestlers asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday and sought his time to discuss the sexual harassment allegations against his party's MP and WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The country's top wrestlers resumed their agitation Singh on Sunday, three months after they ended their sit-in protest following the formation of an oversight committee to probe into the serious allegations. The Sports Ministry has not yet made public the findings of six-member oversight panel that submitted its report on April 5.

Also Read: Wrestlers' protest take political colour, farmer leaders also support athletes

"PM Modi sir talks about ‘Beti Bachao' and ‘Beti Padhao', and listens to everyone's ‘Mann Ki Baat'. Can't he listen to our ‘mann ki baat'? He invites us to his home when we win medals and gives us a lot of respect and calls us his daughters. Today, we appeal to him that he listens to our ‘Mann Ki Baat'," Rio Games bronze medallist Sakshi Malik said in a media interaction. The PM's popular radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat' is completing 100 editions and to mark this, several programmes are being organised by the government.

"I want to ask Smriti Irani (Union Minister) why is she silent now? It's been four days that we are sleeping on road, enduring mosquito bites. We are not being allowed (by Delhi police) to prepare food and train, why are you silent? I just want to say that you come here, listen to us and support us," added Malik. "Maybe our truth is not reaching him, so we want to meet him and let him know our issues."

7
No. of women wrestlers who levelled the allegations

DCW demands registration of FIR against police officers

The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) on Wednesday demanded registration of an FIR against police officers for not lodging a case in connection with the sexual harassment allegations levelled by women wrestlers against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The wrestlers, including a minor, had filed a police complaint on April 21, but no FIR has been registered, the panel said. It has already sought an action taken report from police in the matter.

The panel said it has received a fresh complaint from women wrestlers accusing two persons -- a Dronacharya Awardee coach and General Secretary, Haryana Wrestling Association -- for allegedly making threatening calls to some of the survivors and their families.

Preliminary probe needed before FIR'

The Delhi Police on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that some kind of preliminary probe was needed before it can proceed with the registration of an FIR over sexual harassment allegations levelled by seven women wrestlers against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever