No protest on Sunday: We trust our government, says Bajrang Punia; WFI rejects wrestlers’ allegations

Bajrang Punia

Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia on Saturday told IANS that there will be no protest on Sunday as the wrestlers have trust in the government.

"We will wait for the time given to us. This month's time we will wait and then decide what to do next. We have full faith, trust in our government that justice will be done. No protest is taking place tomorrow," Bajrang cleared.

Earlier, sources told the agency that the wrestlers are unhappy with the outcome of the meeting that took place with the Union Sports Minister and they will re-start their protest.

Even sources said the grapplers are scared and thinking of leaving the country.

Meanwhile, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has rejected all the allegations, including that of sexual harassment against its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and claimed that the wrestlers' protest was motivated by a "hidden agenda to dislodge the current management".

The WFI denied all the charges in its response to the government's notice and asserted that "there is no scope for arbitrariness and mismanagement" in the federation.

Also Read: Day after being asked to step down as WFI chief, Brij Bhushan chief guest at Uttar Pradesh wrestling event

The Sports Ministry had sought an explanation from WFI after the country's top wrestlers sat on a dharna and alleged that the federation chief sexually harassed women wrestlers and acts like a "dictator."

The WFI sent its reply on Friday evening and, few hours later, the wrestlers called off their protest.

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