Wrestlers-Govt logjam breaks: protest on pause, police chargesheet by June 15

Wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

Speaking to The Indian Express after the meeting, Thakur said “it is better for the country to have the award-winning grapplers on the mat than on the roads…It was a congenial atmosphere and all issues were agreed by consensus.”

Punia suggested that the protest could be relaunched in case the government fails to keep its word. “Government has assured us that the police investigation will be completed before June 15. We have also requested that all FIRs against wrestlers should be taken back and he (Thakur) has agreed to it. If no action is taken by June 15, we will continue our protest.”

The Sunday midnight meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, sources said, set the stage for the talks with Thakur.

Wednesday’s meeting between the wrestlers and the government was the third in less than two weeks. But this time, there was one big difference — the government publicly invited the wrestlers for talks. “The government is willing to have a discussion with the wrestlers on their issues,” Thakur tweeted at 12.47 am Wednesday. “I have once again invited the wrestlers for the same.”

The invite was seen as a response to one of the key demands made by the wrestlers after they met Shah. That all future talks be held “publicly” for the sake of transparency. Following Thakur’s invitation, the wrestlers met him at his official residence in New Delhi.

It is learnt that the wrestlers also discussed their return to the mat, seeking to compete in the selection trials for the World Championships – which doubles up as a qualifying event for next year’s Paris Olympics – and the Asian Games.

The two major competitions will be held back-to-back in September and October and the selection trials for the same were originally scheduled to be held towards the end of this month.

However, after the wrestlers’ request, the trials are likely to be postponed so that they have enough time to prepare.

It is learnt that the government and the wrestlers were on common ground on most of the contentious issues but for one. The Sports Minister, it is learnt, wanted to issue a joint statement immediately after their talks ended but the wrestlers didn’t agree. They were also not keen to share the stage for a joint conference.

The government has also agreed to provide police protection to the complainants and accepted the demand of withdrawing the FIRs filed against the protesting wrestlers in connection with the events of May 28, when they were detained during their march to the new Parliament.

Thakur also informed them that two coaches have been added to the IOA-appointed ad-hoc committee that runs the day-to-day activities of the WFI. The demand for the formation of an Internal Complaints Committee, headed by a woman, as mandated under the POSH law, has also been agreed upon.

Said Sakshi Malik: “We were told that the police investigation will be complete by June 15. Till then, we have been asked to wait and suspend the protest. The Delhi Police will also withdraw the FIRs filed against the wrestlers on May 28.”

On April 21, seven female wrestlers, including a minor, had filed separate complaints of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation against the WFI president at Delhi’s

Connaught Place police station. The wrestlers later approached the Supreme Court, stating that the police were not registering FIRs. Subsequently, the police registered two FIRs.

These detail at least two instances of the WFI chief demanding “sexual favours” in lieu of professional assistance; close to 15 incidents of sexual harassment that include 10 episodes of inappropriate touching, molestation that includes running hands over breasts, touching the navel; several instances of intimidation including stalking. Significantly, the minor has withdrawn her allegations and recorded a fresh statement. —With Divya A