The meeting between Union sports minister Anurag Thakur and wrestlers demanding the resignation of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations levelled by them, ended around 2 am on Friday, four hours after it began at Thakur’s residence in New Delhi.
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It is, however, not known what transpired during the meeting as the wrestlers did not speak to the media while leaving the minister’s residence. Thakur, too, did not address the press.
Various media reports, on the other hand, said Singh has been given 24 hours to step down, or else he will be sacked. Also, WFI is likely to submit its response to the sports ministry by Friday afternoon. Earlier, on Wednesday, hours after wrestlers launched their protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital, the ministry took cognisance of the issue, and asked the wrestling body to respond to the charges within 72 hours.
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According to some other reports, the sports minister requested the wrestlers to wait for the completion of these 72 hours, and to call off their agitation and return to training. A second round of meeting is also expected to take place.
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Singh, who, like Thakur, is a BJP MP, was, meanwhile, reported to be in Gonda in Uttar Pradesh. The parliamentarian from the state’s Kaiserganj constituency has refused to step down and claimed there is a conspiracy against him.
