'Protest Suspended Till June 15, Movement Not Over': Wrestlers After Meeting Anurag Thakur

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has told the protesting wrestlers' to wait for the Delhi police to finish their inquiry into the sexual harassment charges against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh by June 15

New Delhi: Top wrestlers agreed to stop their protest for a week after the Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur told them to wait for the police to finish their inquiry into the sexual harassment charges against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh by June 15. The wrestlers said the government also promised them that the police will cancel the FIRs filed against them. The FIRs were registered for breaking law and order on May 28 when they tried to hold ‘Mahila Samman Mahapachayat’ near the new Parliament building without permission. Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, her husband Satyawart Kadiyan and Jitender Kinha were present at the meeting. Vinesh Phogat, a prominent protester against WFI chief, did not attend the meeting.

“We were asked to wait and stop the protest till June 15 when the police investigation will be over,” news agency PTI quoted Sakshi Malik as saying after the meeting "The Delhi police will also withdraw the FIRs filed against the wrestlers lodged on May 28," she added.

The government is ready to talk to the wrestlers about their problems, Anurag Thakur tweeted on Tuesday. “I have invited them again for this,” he said. The wrestlers are demanding the arrest of BJP MP and WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexually harassing them.

Olympics medallist Sakshi Malik said earlier that they will consider the government’s offer of talks and decide together. "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," news agency ANI quoted Malik as saying.

Delhi Police is probing the allegations against Brij Bhushan Singh levelled by the wrestlers on the basis of FIR.