PROTEST GOING ON...
Indian wrestlers who’ve won Olympic medal, the chief of sport’s governing body and several coaches of sexually harassing female athletes, with the opposition questioning the government’s silence.
In the capital New Delhi on Wednesday the wrestlers, Shakshi Malik and Bajarang Punia, started protesting after accusing the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment. The protest has continued on Thursday.
Since 2011, Singh has been the head of WFI, he is a six-time Member of Parliament from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP).
Vinesh Phogat, commonwealth games women’s gold winner said that multiple girls were harassed by the WFI president and coaches.
“At national camps women wrestlers have been sexually harassed by coaches and also by the WFI president,” said the 28-year old athlete.
“In the national camp I know at least 10-20 girls who have shared their stories with me,” she also added.
Many wrestlers were intimidated from taking any action and coming forward, Phogat said.
They are scared from their family background. Because they’re powerful they can’t fight against them.
“My only livelihood is wrestling and they are not letting us to do it. Only option we’ve is to die. So before dying we might do something good,” she further said. She did not confess herself as a victim.
In support of the athletes Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi demands investigation into the allegations.
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