By India Today News Desk: India’s top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, arrived at Haridwar’s Har Ki Pauri on Tuesday to immerse medals as part of their protest against wrestling federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. But the athletes halted their plan following the intervention of farmer leaders. They have vowed to return if no action is taken against Brij Bhushan Singh, accused of sexual harassment, within the next five days.
The grapples have been protesting against the inaction against Brij Bhushan Singh even though the BJP MP has been booked by the Delhi Police. The decision by wrestlers to immerse their medals came days after they were dragged and detained during a march to the new Parliament building on May 28.
The day began with an emotive message from the grapplers. It seems that these medals decorated around our necks have no meaning any more, a statement from Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat read. Referring to Sunday’s crackdown, the wrestlers said the police and the administration are treating them as criminals.
At around 6 pm, the protesting wrestlers arrived at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar to immerse their medals, including Olympics and Commonwealth medals. Striking visuals showed the wrestlers, in tears, sitting at the Ganga ghat, holding the medals close to their chest. Soon after, supporters gathered, raised slogans and asked the grapplers to halt their plan to immerse medals.
5-point guide to wrestlers’ protest that transpired on banks of Ganga river in Haridwar:
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Tearful wrestlers arrived with their medals and were set to immerse them before returning to Delhi to stage a sit-in protest at India Gate. The grapplers broke down while sitting near the banks of river Ganga in Haridwar as supporters tried to console them.
However, after intervention by the farmer leaders, the wrestlers have handed over their medals to Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait for now. They have also given a 5-day deadline to Centre to sack and arrest Brij Bhushan Singh.
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As the wrestlers held onto the medals in anger and in tears, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble tweeted in support of the athletes.
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While the protest was underway, the Delhi Police, who shut the Jantar Mantar protest site to the wrestlers, said the athletes would not be allowed to hold a protest at India Gate too. The national monument is not a site for demonstrations and alternative places for their dharna will be suggested, police sources told PTI.
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At around 8 pm, National president of Bharatiya Kisan Union Naresh Tikait arrived at Har Ki Pauri and consoled the tearful wrestlers. After Tikait’s intervention, the wrestlers halted their plan to immerse medals in Ganga and gave a five-day deadline for action against Brij Bhushan Singh. Shortly after, they left the Ganga ghat but have vowed to return if no action is taken in the next five days.
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The wrestlers had been protesting at Jantar Mantar since April 23 against Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexually harassing women grapplers, including a minor.
