Olympians Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia along with farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday met Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur after the minister offered to hold talks with the protesting wrestlers earlier in the day.
Thakur said in a tweet that the government is willing to have a discussion with the wrestlers on their issues. The wrestlers had said after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah that they were not content with the discussions and would plan further action.
Commenting on the development, wrestler and BJP member Mahavir Singh Phogat said: “This is very good. The Govt woke up after so many days and Anurag Thakur invited the wrestlers, so I would like to say that a solution must come out..”
Malik earlier said that the wrestlers will discuss the government’s proposal to hold talks with their seniors and supporters. She added that the wrestlers would not agree to just anything the government says and end the protests against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
“We will discuss the proposal given by the government with our seniors and supporters. Only when everyone gives their consent that the proposal is fine, then will we agree. It won’t happen that we will agree to anything that the government says and end our protest. No time fixed for the meeting yet,” wrestler Sakshi Malik told ANI in a telephonic interview on Union sports minister Anurag Thakur inviting protesting wrestlers for talks.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been accused of sexual harassment and has been charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including section 354 (assaulting a woman to outrage her modesty), section 354A (sexual harassment), and section 354D (stalking). He has also been accused of seeking sexual favours in lieu of helping female wrestlers further their career.
Singh, on the other hand, has repeatedly denied these allegations. He also said that he will hang himself if any of these allegations are proven true in a court of law.
Also read: Union minister Anurag Thakur invites protesting wrestlers for talks
Also read: ‘Hamare medals ko Rs 15 ka bataane wale’: Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik say they’re receiving ‘job threats’ after resuming work
