India’s Yogeshwar Dutt. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Former Indian wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, a part of the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) seven-member committee to probe the wrestlers’ allegations of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, said that FIR has been registered, now the grapplers should focus on their practice.
The Delhi Police on Friday registered two FIRs against WFI president Singh over allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation of female wrestlers by him. Top Indian grapplers such as Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and many other wrestlers are involved in the protest against the WFI chief. Over the last six days, the wrestlers have slept and trained at the protest site near Jantar Mantar in the national capital.
“The wrestlers should have taken this step 3 months ago. FIR has been registered, now the wrestlers should focus on their practice. Even the Prime Minister does not have the right to punish only the court does,” Yogeshwar Dutt told ANI.
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Dutt also said that the task of the committee that was formed was to submit its report after listening to both sides. Neither the committee nor the Prime Minister of the country has the right to punish. The power of sentencing rests only with the court.
“An FIR has been registered in this matter and as I said earlier also, the wrestlers should have taken steps to get the FIR registered 3 months back. Nothing happens while sitting at home,” Dutt added.
Earlier, P.T. Usha said that the wrestlers should have approached the IOA earlier instead of going out in the streets against the WFI and its president.
“Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is having a committee for sexual harassment, instead of going to the streets they [protesting wrestlers] could have come to us earlier but they did not come to IOA. It is neither good for sports nor for wrestlers, they should also have some discipline,” said Usha to the media.
However, protesting wrestlers on Thursday expressed her frustration with Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president P.T. Usha’s comments.
“Being a woman athlete, she [P.T. Usha] is not listening to other women athletes. We have followed her since childhood and got inspired by her. Where is indiscipline here, we are sitting here peacefully,” Sakshi Malik told mediapersons.
Vinesh Phogat, the CWG and World Championships medalist also called Usha’s comments as “insensitive”. “We live as per the Constitution and are independent citizens. We can go anywhere. If we are sitting out in the streets, there must be some reason, a reason that nobody listened to us, be it IOA or Sports Ministry. Her saying this is insensitive. I even called her, but she did not pick up my phone,” said Vinesh.
As far as P.T. Usha’s statement regarding the wrestlers is concerned, Yogeshwar Dutt said, he cannot say much about it.
“But both are correct in their place. Now after registering the FIR, the wrestlers should focus on their practice,” the former Indian wrestler said.
“As far as the conversation between the wrestlers with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur was held in a closed room, I do not know anything about it. Wrestlers are getting everyone’s support and we should respect the orders of the court,” he added.
