Wrestlers shift battle against WFI chief to courts, vow legal fight for justice
Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia confirm government's fulfillment of chargesheet promise via identical tweet
New Delhi, June 26: Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia have announced that they will no longer take their protest to the streets but instead fight their battle against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the court of law. In identical tweets, the wrestlers acknowledged that the government had fulfilled its promise of filing a chargesheet against Singh.
The statement posted on Twitter by the wrestlers read, "In this case, the wrestlers will continue till we get justice, but it will be in court and not on the road."
They further mentioned that the election process for WFI reforms had begun as promised and they would wait for the government to fulfill its promises regarding the July 11 elections. Following the statement, Vinesh and Sakshi announced that they would take a break from social media for a few days.
The decision to fight the battle legally comes a day after the wrestlers had initially suggested the possibility of resuming their street protests against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. In a live address on social media, Vinesh, Sakshi, and Bajrang had criticized Yogeshwar Dutt, a former wrestler and current BJP leader, for questioning the IOA ad-hoc panel's decision to exempt them from the Asian Games trials.
During the address, the wrestlers made it clear that their fight against Singh would continue. They stated that they would carefully evaluate the chargesheet filed against Singh and decide on the next steps to be taken.
Vinesh had emphasised that the fight for justice would persist until Brij Bhushan is held accountable for his actions and put behind bars. She mentioned that they were waiting for a copy of the chargesheet and would assess its strength in pursuing justice. Depending on their evaluation, they would determine whether to take to the streets or consider other forms of protest.
The wrestlers' decision to shift the battle to the court reflects their confidence in the legal system to address their grievances and hold Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh accountable. Their unwavering commitment to fighting for justice and their willingness to explore all available avenues demonstrates their determination to bring about the desired changes within the wrestling community.
Also Read: Gauhati HC stays WFI election scheduled for July 11