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India's Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia confirmed that they will continue their fight for justice, having asserted that none of the wrestlers have backed down from the protest and that the reports of their withdrawal are attempts to sabotage the movement.
They also confirmed that the news of them withdrawing from the movement were just 'rumours'. Punia said that the report 'of women wrestlers taking back the FIR is also 'false'. Reacting to the reports, Punia said, "This news is being spread to harm us. We have neither retreated nor have we withdrawn from the movement. The news of women wrestlers taking back the FIR is also false. The fight will continue till justice is served."
Their reactions came out after reports that the two have withdrawn from the protests, dealing a big blow to the protest that has lasted for more than two months. Bajrang, Sakshi along with fellow Olympian and World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat have been protesting against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, demanding his arrest on allegations of sexual harassment against seven wrestlers, including one minor. Singh has denied all the charges.
"This news is completely wrong. In the fight for justice, none of us has backed down, nor will we. Along with Satyagraha, I am fulfilling my responsibility in Railways. Our fight continues till justice is served. Please don't spread any wrong news," Malik tweeted.
Asked if she has distanced herself from the movement since she resumed her duties in the Railways, Sakshi told reporters,"Let me make it clear, we are making our strategy to take our fight forward. We will ensure that there is no violence, how we can take the protest forward, we are working on that.
"I am (an) OSD (officer on special duty) first and I have a lot of responsibilities, so as long as we are making our strategy and not sitting on the protest, I will take care of my official duties." On the reports that the minor girl has withdrawn her FIR, she said,"This is all fake news to weaken our Satyagraha and our protest to alienate us from the public. This is wrong. We have not gone back on our fight and we will not do so. Till we get justice, the fight will go on."
On the meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, she said: "It was a normal conversation. No final solution has emerged. Our stance will remain the same, arrest the accused. Vinesh, Bajrang and I are together in this fight and till we get justice, we will remain united."
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(With PTI Inputs)
