'What can we do': WFI chief responds to wrestlers' call to immerse medals in Ganga

Top Indian wrestlers accompanied by hundreds of supporters reached Haridwar on Tuesday to immerse their medals into the holy river Ganga. But the wrestlers did not carry out the threat after farmer leaders and 'khaps' from Haryana appealed to them to call off the move and sought five days' time to resolve their issue.

Reacting to this, Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, in an interview, said, “What can we do if the players want to immerse their medals?”

“The wrestlers went to immerse their medals in Ganga ji. But instead of Ganga ji, they gave their medal to (Rakesh) Tikait. That is their stand. What can we do?,” Singh said in an interview with India Today.

Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat arrived at Har ki Pauri to protest the inaction against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has allegedly sexually harassed several women grapplers.

Senior farmer leaders Sham Singh Malik and Naresh Tikait sought five days' time from the grapplers to resolve the issue as the wrestlers geared up to immerse their World and Olympic medals in the holy river.

“Let them investigate and see what happens in the future. Nothing is now in our hands. Everything has been left to the Delhi Police,” Singh added.

On May 28, Delhi police detained Malik along with World Championships bronze winner Vinesh Phogat and Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and later filed FIRs against them for violation of law and order, as dramatic scenes unfolded at the protest site at Jantar Mantar.

Last month, two FIRs were filed by Delhi Police against the BJP MP on the basis of the complaints from the wrestlers.

Singh reiterated, “If I am found to be in the wrong, then I will be arrested. I have no problem with that.”

(With inputs from Abhishek Mishra)

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