Indian Olympic Association chief PT Usha has strongly criticised the public protest by wrestlers over alleged sexual harassment by Wrestling Federation India boss Brijbhushan Sharan Singh. Singh, a BJP MP, has denied the allegations and indicated he will fight fiercely to prove he is innocent. Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia have been protesting against Singh and demanding the government to take action on their complaint. They have also written to PT Usha to act on the matter urgently. "The players should not have protested on the streets. They should have at least waited for the report of the committee. What they have done is not good for the game and the country. It is a negative approach," Usha said. Responding to Ms Usha, the wresters said they are hurt by her comments as they looked up to her for support. "We feel hurt by PT Usha's comment. She is not supporting us despite being a woman herself. What indiscipline have we done? We are sitting here peacefully. If we had got justice, we would not have done this," wrestler Sakshi Malik told reporters today.
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"Forget others, we got ditched by our own sister Babita Phogat," alleged one wrestler, who is protesting against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at the Jantar Mantar here. "She first forced us to sit on dharna, asked us that no political leader should come on dais. We listened to her every command and asked all the political leaders to not come meet us, but then she (Babita) politicised everything for her personal benefits and backstabbed us and left us here alone" the wrestler told IANS on condition of anonymity.
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 "LIVE: Looked up to her for support, say wrestlers after PT Usha's criticism")
