In light of the major allegations levelled against the WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, have made a heartfelt appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and MLA Smriti Irani, requesting a meeting to discuss their demands.
"We request PM Modi to speak to us, hear our 'Mann ki Baat' and follow his own principle of ‘beti bachao, beto padhao’. You call us daughters when we win medals, invite us home. Today we are appealing so that you can listen to our 'Mann ki baat',” Rio Olympics 2016 bronze medallist wrestler Sakshi Malik said in the press conference on April 26.
"We also request Smriti Irani for a response. Why are you quiet? We have been here for four days, sleeping with the mosquitoes. We are fighting for food, they are not letting us train in peace. We are waiting for justice," she added.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia revealed that the victim of assault and the protesting wrestlers have received threats from Brij Bhushan’s men.
"Brij Bhushan is claiming to be innocent. No one knows the identity of the assaulted minor. If that is the case then how are there people reaching her house and threatening her and her relatives. If he is innocent then why are they going to her house?" asked Punia.
"People have come to me and said, 'he (Brij) has killed his opponents on election day, so who are you? Now, we are being threatened as well," he added.
Punia challenged Brij Bhushan to try and do his worst but it will not have an impact on the protest as the wrestlers have the support of whole country.
“The whole country is behind us. You cannot scare us. The moment we came here, we left all fear behind. I have talked to few student organizations who have promised to support us. I want to thank everyone who has supported us till now. Also, I want to tell Brij Bhushanji that we are not afraid. You can do your worst,” the 29-year-old said.
Punia also urged the Prime Minister to give them justice so that they can get back to training. He also pointed out that everyone heaps praises on wrestlers when they win medals and hopes that they get the much-deserved justice eventually.
“I want to request Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Why can’t they see that it has been four days since the protest commenced? Why haven’t we got justice yet? When we win medals, everyone wants to get pictures clicked with us, congratulate us saying that our daughters have achieved an incredible feat. These are Mother India’s daughters as well who are asking for justice. I hope they will get justice in the end,” he concluded.
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