Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik met Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to once again request him to stop anyone related to former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh from contesting the upcoming polls.
Top wrestlers have been staging a sit-in since April 23 and Vinesh Phogat said if Brij Bhushan attends the inauguration of the new Parliament then it'll send a clear message.
He also said Shastri should share his views on the fight and struggle of the women wrestlers who are seeking justice against a Lok Sabha member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan. Brij Bhushan has been accused of sexual harassment of several women wrestlers.
The following is the timeline of the chain of events that led to the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India by UWW, the sport's global governing body.
'It's most unfortunate that people in power talk about morality, talk about doing the right thing well in fact the reality is just the opposite. The investigating agencies act on their (government) directions on what basis the police did not register an FIR? The law of the Supreme Court is very clear that if there are allegations and they make out a cognisable offence and this is a very serious offence.'
'It is Bajrang Punia's personal decision to return the Padma Shri. The WFI polls were held in fair and democratic manner. We will still try to persuade Bajrang to reverse his decision to return Padma Shri.'
The two wrestlers, who have accused Sharan Singh of sexually harassing women grapplers, called on the PM to intervene.
Sheoran, it is learnt, has the backing of the six wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, who led the protests against Brij Bhushan at Jantar Mantar.
Wrestler Divya Kakran defends WFI chief Brij Bhushan
Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal raised a question on Friday as to why the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has not been asked to resign, in the wake allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by female wrestlers.
United World Wrestling on Thursday suspended the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) with immediate effect in the wake of a delay in holding elections.
Bajrang Punia criticised Brij Bhushan for his comments on the medal won by the grapplers.
Bhupinder Singh Bajwa will be the chairman of the panel with hockey Olympian M M Somaya and former international shuttler Manjusha Kanwar being the other two members.
'These three wrestlers (Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik) are indirectly or directly part of the Congress.'
The protesting wrestlers said late on Saturday evening that there was a lot of "pressure" to call off the Mahila Mahapanchayat they have planned in front of the new Parliament building.
The government is unhappy with the wrestlers' behaviour and will not reconstitute the oversight committee formed to probe the sexual harassment charges against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
'It is not about money, it is about respect. Many people from across the state tell me that I must have received the cash award.'
Deaflympics gold medallist Virender Singh Yadav, better known as Goonga Pehlwan, has now decided to return his Padma Shri to the government, showing solidarity with the country's top wrestlers.
Sanjay Singh claimed that the veteran wrestlers who have been protesting do not want junior wrestlers to progress
The Delhi Police had on June 15 filed a report before the court seeking cancellation of the case by the minor wrestler.
WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh urged that the national championships and camps should be conducted as all activities have come to a standstill.
The Delhi Police have registered an FIR against organisers of the wrestlers' protest and their supporters for violating law and order in connection with the scuffle that broke out at Jantar Mantar on Sunday.
While the wrestlers braved tough weather conditions, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu demanded custodial interrogation of WFI President.
Former wrestler Sakshi Malik made some startling revelations in her her recently-released book titled Witness, claiming that their protest developed cracks when 'people close to' Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat began to fill their minds with 'greed'.
Three months ago prominent wrestlers came forward to lead a protest against the WFI chief following which the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the formation of an 'oversight committee' to probe allegations against the WFI, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and some coaches.
The WFI, while announcing the trials on March 10-11, also included the names of Bajrang (65kg freestyle), Vinesh (55kg) and Sakshi (62kg), who had announced her retirement from the sport in "frustration" the day Sanjay Singh was elected president.
Sakshi along with two-time World Championships bronze medallist Vinesh Phogat and Tokyo Olympics bronze winner Bajrang Punia spearheaded the protest against Singh at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding his arrest for intimidating and allegedly sexually harassing female grapplers of the country.
Sports Ministry requests IOA to constitute ad-hoc committee to manage WFI affairs
Wrestler and Congress candidate Vinesh Phogat on Sunday said she expects to win each battle with the blessings of people as kicks off her campaign for the upcoming assembly election.
Sakshi Malik revealed that her family is getting threats.
Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Risako Kawai came out in support of the protesting Indian wrestlers.
When asked about the claims that the minor who was among the grapplers who had accusing WFI chief Bhushan of sexual harassment had taken back her complaint, Malik said, 'This is all fake news to discredit our protest in the eyes of the public and to make us lose public support.'
The Congress on Thursday said the country will give a befitting reply to the tears of the wrestlers who sought justice from the BJP government.
Sakshi Malik, one of the prominent faces of the agitation against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, welcomed the WFI's suspension.
Azad, who had joined the protesting wrestlers at the Jantar Mantar on Monday evening but was asked to leave the venue at night by the authorities, returned to the site on Tuesday with his followers.
The wrestlers, who had been protesting at Jantar Mantar since April 23 seeking the arrest of Singh, were removed from the site by the Delhi Police on Sunday after they tried to march to the new Parliament building that was inaugurated the same day.
The Sports Ministry has not yet made public the findings of a six-member oversight panel that submitted its report on April 5.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday welcomed the suspension of the newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), but said the Sports Ministry should have taken the decision earlier.
Mehta said statements of four complainants, including the minor, has been recorded under section 161 of the CrPC in the case.
'WFI must reverse all amendments made during its suspension and ensure checks and balances in decision-making within four weeks.'
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