Why top Indian female wrestlers are protesting

New Delhi :Top Indian female wrestlers have been protesting at the Jantar Mantar for the past many days after Delhi Police had refused to file an FIR against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief. Seven female wrestlers, including a minor, complained against him of sexual harassment.
The wrestlers had returned to Jantar Mantar on April 23 after suspending their protest in January earlier.
The protest in January was withdrawn after the sports ministry stripped the WFI top brass of all administrative powers and asked an oversight committee to look into the allegations.
Though Delhi Police on Friday submitted before the Supreme Court that it has decided to lodge an FIR against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the protestors are saying that the fight is ‘far from over’.
Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik said withdrawing the protest in January was a mistake.
“The report by the oversight committee was not made public, and we have reasons to believe the culprits got a clean chit,” said Malik, who won the women’s 58kg freestyle bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Vinesh Phogat, one of India’s most decorated female wrestlers and a protest leader, has accused WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of harassing “several young wrestlers” and said she knew “at least 10 to 20 girls” who had recounted sexual harassment at wrestling camp.
“Our fight is not limited to the FIR. We would have gotten the FIR done sooner or later. Our fight is to punish this man (Singh). He already has 82 pending cases against him. If that did no harm to him, what would two FIRs do? We want to see him behind bars,” she added.
Meanwhile, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha’s comments on the ongoing wrestlers’ protest has not gone down well with the athletes. Hours after Usha on Thursday said the grapplers lacked discipline as they hit the streets to protest against WFI chief, star wrestler Bajrang Punia criticised the decorated track and field athlete.
Usha told reporters that wrestlers should have approached IOA instead of resuming their protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on the streets. Star wrestlers like Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik are protesting against WFI chief, three months after the wrestlers alleged the federation chief of sexual harassment and WFI of mishandling funds and mismanagement.
“Our feeling is that for sexual harassment complaints, IOA has a committee and athletes’ commission. Instead of going to the street (again), they should have come to us, but they have not at all come to IOA,” Usha told reporters. “They are sitting on a dharna and asking all political parties to join them, and that is what disappoints me.”
Bollywood actor and politician Urmila Matondkar has extended support to protesting female wrestlers. In a video message, Urmila urged home minister Amit Shah and sports minister Anurag Thakur to support protesting wrestlers.