NEW DELHI: Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur on Thursday said the government had granted opportunities to all the protesting wrestlers to present their case before the oversight committee as it wanted an ‘impartial probe’ on charges, including sexual harassment, against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The minister also added that the Narendra Modi Government has always been with the athletes as the game and sports persons are its priority.
“A few wrestlers are sitting in protest at Jantar Mantar. I have spent 12 hours with them — seven hours on the first day and five hours the next day (in January). I had listened to all their grievances, held a press conference at 2-2.30 at night, formed a committee after talking to them. They had asked to add a member and gave Babita Phogat’s name, and we added her to the committee. There is nothing in our mind, we wanted an impartial probe,” Thakur said at a press conference in Shimla.
Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik are the three central characters in the renewed protests against the WFI president. “Whoever wanted to present their version before the oversight committee, was given a chance, there were no restrictions. We even increased the timeline of the probe, there were 14 meetings. Whoever wanted to come, came. We gave a chance to every athlete to present their case,” Thakur said when asked about the protests.
