As the wrestlers' protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, took a violent turn on Wednesday night Bajrang Punia requested the central government to take all his medals back but ensure the safety of athletes.
Top Indian wrestlers were allegedly manhandled and abused by the police at the protest site on Wednesday night when they brought folding beds.
Videos shared on social media showed the protestors arguing with senior police officials while Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik broke down in tears.
What happened at Jantar Mantar between the police and the wrestlers?
Former wrestler Rajveer accused a policeman, who was allegedly drunk, of abusing Commonwealth Games gold medal winner Vinesh Phogat while a couple of others received head injuries in the scuffle.
“Our mattresses got wet due to rain, so we were bringing folding beds for sleeping, but the police did not allow that,” Rajveer said.
“They started hitting us. [Olympic medal winner] Bajrang Punia’s brother-in-law Dushyant Phogat and another wrestler Rahul Yadav suffered head injuries. The police did not let doctors reach the site. Even the women constables were misbehaving with us.”
What did Bajrang Punia say about the incident?
Following the scuffle between the protestors and the police officials, Punia stated that he is ready to return all the medals to the government and urged the farmers and public to join their cause.
"This is the time. If not, then when?" asked the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist.
"This is a question of the dignity of our daughters. People like Brij Bhushan are roaming freely despite being criminals and all this is happening to us. I request the government to take back all my medals."
What did Vinesh Phogat say about the scuffle?
Star wrestler Vinesh Phogat said the wrestlers were protesting silently and did not deserve to be treated like criminals.
“The cop jumped in and stopped us – didn’t wait for a woman cop and just started pushing us,” she told the press.
“Some of us were hit on the head with a stick. Did we win medals for the nation to see such days...Where were the women cops when the constable was pushing us around?”
How did the police respond?
"Somnath Bharti brought folding beds to the protest site in Jantar Mantar. Since there was no permission, we didn't allow it, so some of the supporters of the protesting wrestlers tried to take out the beds from the truck and this led to an altercation...," DCP Pranav Tayal on scuffle between wrestlers and Delhi Police.
Why are the wrestlers protesting?
For possibly the first time in Indian sport, Olympians and Olympic medalists were out on the street protesting poor governance, financial irregularities and alleged sexual exploitation by the Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Top wrestlers like Punia, Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Deepak Punia resumed the protest, which was first launched in January, after being informed by several younger athletes that they were sexually harassed by Brij Bhushan.
“It has taken a lot of courage for us wrestlers to come together and protest against the WFI President,” they wrote in a letter in January. “We fear for our lives. If he is not sacked then the careers of all the young who joined the dharna will be over…we will not budge until the WFI President is sacked.”
Who is Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh?
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, 66, is a political strongman and veteran administrator.
A six-time Lok Sabha Member of Parliament, he is from the ruling party BJP and currently an MP from Kaiserganj, Uttar Pradesh.
Brij Bhushan has been the WFI president since 2011.
A high-handed administrator, he was associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and once admitted to a web portal that he had committed murder. In his 2019 election affidavit, there are four criminal cases registered against him.
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What are the latest allegations against Brij Bhushan?
Seven wrestlers, including a minor, filed complaints against Brij Bhushan, accusing him of sexual harassment.
According to reports, they field separate complaints Friday with the Connaught Place Police Station in New Delhi, in which they cited multiple instances of sexual harassment, from 2012 to 2022 and that some of them occurred at Brij Bhushan’s official MP’s bungalow in New Delhi.
The wrestlers had to protest just for the police to file an FIR against Brij Bhushan. Even that was only done when the Supreme Court stepped in.