Page 7 - Wfi

Decision to arrest WFI chief lies solely with police authorities: Experts

Supreme Court lawyer Vineet Jindal said that the decision to make an arrest lies solely with the police authorities

WFI chief still in 'suraksha kavach' of PM Modi, says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi on Friday sharpened his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the BJP MP is still within his "suraksha kavach" (protective shield).

Want justice for wrestlers, but after due process of law: Anurag Thakur

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday said everyone wants justice to be delivered to the wrestlers demanding action against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, but it will happen only after following the due process of law. Thakur's remarks came days after the country's top wrestlers, protesting for more than a month over allegations of sexual harassment against Singh, threatened to immerse their medals in the Ganga river in Haridwar. "The government favours an unbiased investigation.... All of us want justice to be delivered, but it will happen after following the due process," Thakur said in an interactive session at the India Economic Conclave organised by the Times Network. The minister said the Delhi Police is investigating the case, which was filed after a government-appointed committee submitted a report on the allegations against Singh, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP. "There is no question of bias," Thakur sai

'Sought sexual favours, touched inappropriately': FIRs against WFI chief

The two FIRs carry serious allegations of sexual harassment of wrestlers during competitions in India and abroad by WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

Permission denied for Brij Bhushan's 'maha rally' in Ayodhya on June 5

The Ayodhya district administration has denied permission to BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to hold a rally here on June 5, an official said on Friday. Singh, the BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, has been accused of sexually abusing female grapplers. Circle Officer (Ayodhya) SP Gautam said in view of other programmes scheduled on the World Environment Day on June 5, the permission sought by BJP councillor Chamela Devi on behalf of Singh has been denied. Singh, in a Facebook post, said he has postponed the 'Jan Chetna Maharally' at the Ram Katha Park for "a few days" due to the ongoing police probe into the wrestlers' allegation against him. Prominent wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, have been holding protests since April 23 accusing Singh of sexual exploitation. Singh is the BJP MP from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh.

'Deliver justice, arrest WFI chief', demands Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress

Demanding the arrest of WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment by the top wrestlers of the country, GPMC said that sports should be made a 'holy area'

Will fight till protesting wrestlers get justice: Bengal CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday came out in support of protesting wrestlers who have been seeking arrest of WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh, stating that she will fight till they get justice. Taking to the streets of Kolkata, for a second day, Banerjee described the wrestlers' struggle as "a struggle for life, justice, and independence'. Will fight till protesting wrestlers get justice,the chief minister said. "I will request the wrestlers to continue their movement. This fight is for life, for independence, for humanitarian justice," Banerjee said while participating in a protest supporting the wrestlers who have been demonstrating sexual harassment of women grapplers and demanding the arrest of the WFI chief. She was leading a candle march from the statue of Gostha Pal, the first captain of India national football team at the Kolkata Maidan to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Mayo Road-Dufferin Road crossing.

Protesting wrestlers are changing their demands: WFI chief Brij Bhushan

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing sexual harassment allegations, on Thursday said the women wrestlers are changing their demands since they started their protest against him, asserting that the charges are already being probed by the Delhi Police. "Police is probing the matter. Let it complete. Whatever comes in it, I will act accordingly," Singh, who is also the BJP MP, said at a press conference here. "I request you with folded hands that unnecessary questions should not be asked to me," he told the reporters. He reiterated that if the charges levelled against him by women wrestlers were proved in the Delhi Police probe, he would hang himself. The WFI chief claimed that the protesting wrestlers have been changing their demands. "When the wrestlers sat on a dharna at Jantar Mantar on January 18, they had put forward some demands. After some days, the demands were changed. They are changing their demands. I had asked women wrestlers

Medals as protest: Muhammad Ali & Black Power movement to Indian wrestlers

During the 2020 farmers' movement too, sportspersons from Punjab had marched towards Rashtrapati Bhavan to return 35 national awards

Centre handling issue of protesting wrestlers sensitively: Anurag Thakur

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday said the Centre was sensitively handling the issue of protesting wrestlers, who are seeking the arrest of outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations. Thakur, who is on a visit to Mumbai, told reporters that the government has accepted the wrestlers' demand for a committee to probe their allegations and an investigation was underway. Several Olympic and World Championships medal-winning wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat, have been protesting in New Delhi demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) outgoing chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing several women grapplers, including a minor. The wrestlers recently threatened to immerse their medals in the river Ganga. "The government is handling the issue of protesting wrestlers sensitively. The wrestlers asked for an FIR which has been filed by the .

Justice demands

Govt should have been more sensitive to wrestlers

Action to be taken once probe is over: Rajnath Singh Brij Bhushan Singh row

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday that women wrestlers' complaint against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Singh is being probed and action will be taken once the investigation is over. Some of the country's top wrestlers have been protesting against Brij Bhushan Singh, a BJP MP, demanding his sacking from the federation and his arrest. The Delhi Police has registered two FIRs against him and is probing the case. "The matter is being investigated. The government will take action in the matter once the investigation is over," the defence minister told reporters. He was in the district to attended a family function. He also said all political parties should have attended the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. "The inauguration of new Lok Sabha Bhawan was a public event which should have been attended by all political parties. It was not a session of the House. It was a matter of pride for th

No desire to fight WFI polls, only standing with wrestlers: Deepender Hooda

The Congress leader also urged the wrestlers to reconsider their decision of holding an indefinite hunger strike

Will hang myself if charges against me proved: WFI chief Brij Bhushan

Outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing sexual harassment charges levelled by female wrestlers, on Wednesday said he will hang himself even if a single allegation is proved against him. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP also said all wrestlers are like his children and he will not blame them as his blood and sweat have also gone into their success. "I am once again saying that if even if a single allegation is proved against me, I will hang myself," Singh said while addressing a programme at the Mahadeva auditorium in the Ramnagar area here. "It has been four months since they (wrestlers) want me to be hanged, but the government is not hanging me. So they were going to immerse their medals in the Ganga. Brij Bhushan will not be hanged by throwing medals in the Ganga. If you have proof, give it to the court and if the court hangs me, I will accept it," the member of Parliament from Kaiserganj said. He said he will not blame the .

Reports claiming lack of evidence against WFI chief wrong: Delhi Police

The investigation into the sexual harassment case against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is under progress and reports claiming that the Delhi Police has not found sufficient evidence are "wrong", officials said on Wednesday. The police had earlier said that they had not found sufficient evidence to arrest Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Singh, who is accused of sexually harassing seven female wrestlers, including a minor. Later, taking to Twitter, the Delhi Police said, "Several media channels are running a story that the Delhi Police hasn't found sufficient evidence in the cases registered against the Ex-President of WFI and a final report in the matter is due to be submitted before the concerned court. "It is to clarify that this news is 'wrong' and the investigation into this sensitive case is under progress with all sensitivity," it tweeted. The wrestlers, who had been protesting at Jantar Mantar since April 23 seeking the arrest of Singh, were removed from the site b

DCW summons cop after identity of survivor revealed, WFI chief under probe

The women wrestlers had approached the Supreme Court and two FIRs were registered on April 28, one under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act

World wrestling body notes wrestlers' protest, wants WFI polls in 45 days

Expressing its disappointment, the global wrestling body said that if WFI does not hold elections within 45 days, UWW will suspend India

UWW condemns wrestlers' detention, will ban WFI if polls not held in time

The United World Wrestling (UWW) on Tuesday condemned the detention of India's top wrestlers during their protest in Jantar Mantar and threatened to suspend the national federation WFI if it fails to hold its election within the stipulated time. The world body said it has been keeping an eye on the protest by the wrestlers against the outgoing Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing several women. "For several months, United World Wrestling has followed with great concern the situation in India where wrestlers are protesting over allegations of abuse and harassment by the President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI)," UWW said in a statement. "It has taken due note that the WFI President has been put aside at an early stage and is currently not in charge." Unprecedented scenes of police dragging Olympic and world championships medallists, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat, were

Country stupefied, PM should shed arrogance: Kejriwal on wrestlers protest

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the whole country was "stupefied" by the wrestlers' plan to immerse their medals in the Ganga and the "prime minister should shed arrogance". The wrestlers had announced they would immerse their medals in the river in Haridwar as a mark of protest to demand action against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who they alleged sexually harassed women grapplers. But the wrestlers did not carry out the threat after farmer leaders sought five days' time from them to resolve the issue. Tweeting a video of the wrestlers assembled at the banks of the Ganga in Haridwar crying, Kejriwal tweeted, "The whole country is stupefied. There are tears in the eyes of the whole country. Now the prime minister should shed arrogance." Police had last month registered two FIRs against Singh but he has not been arrested so far. The wrestlers, who had been protesting at Jantar Mantar since April 23 seeking the arrest

Wrestlers Protest: Vinesh, Sakshi reach Haridwar to immerse medals in Ganga

The country's top wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, along with hundreds of their supporters, reached Har ki Pauri to immerse their medals in the Ganga river even as police beefed up security arrangements near the area here on Tuesday. A huge crowd gathered in Har ki Pauri as the protesting wrestlers got ready to immerse their world and Olympic medals in the holy waters as a mark of protest against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment. Sakshi, Vinesh and her cousin Sangeeta were seen sobbing as their husbands tried to console them even as scores of their supporters formed a cordon around them. The wrestlers stood for about 20 minutes in silence after reaching Har ki Pauri. They then sat on the banks of the river holding their citations and looking emotionally distressed. The wrestlers, who were detained by Delhi Police and removed from their Jantar Mantar protest site on May 28,