Trio set to miss another international tournament owing to the agitation
NEW DELHI: Wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshee Malik, the public face of the ongoing protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, have refused the security cover provided by the Delhi police based on a threat assessment.
TOI can confirm that the trio turned down the offer after they were provided with personal security officers (PSOs) on Sunday night by the concerned area's assistant commissioner of police (ACP). It's been learnt that Bajrang was provided with two PSOs, Vinesh and Sakshee with one each. The PSOs visited them on Sunday as part of their security detail but were politely told by the wrestlers to leave Jantar Mantar, where they have been protesting since April 23.
"Yes, we were provided with the security cover but we refused to accept it. We told the PSOs to leave. If we are not safe at Jantar Mantar, then we can't be safe anywhere. We are protesting here peacefully with our brothers and sisters from the wrestling community. We don't want any security," Bajrang told TOI.
The development came a day after the Delhi police provided security to all seven women wrestlers, including a minor, who have lodged an FIR against Singh at the Connaught Place police station, demanding that Singh, a BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh's Kaiserganj, against whom charges of sexual harassment have been levelled, be immediately arrested and put behind the bars to ensure a fair investigation into the allegations.
On April 28, the Supreme Court had directed the Delhi police to provide security to the seven complainants and protesting wrestlers after carrying out a threat assessment.
SET TO MISS KYRGYZSTAN EVENT
In a separate development, Bajrang, Vinesh and Sakshee are set to miss another international tournament after they refused to compete at the Ranking Series wrestling event in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from June 1 to 4.
This will be the third instance when the trio will not participate in the United World Wrestling (UWW)-organised ranking series. They skipped the previous two editions in Zagreb (February 1-5) and Cairo (February 23-26). Bajrang and Vinesh had last participated internationally at the World wrestling championships in Belgrade in September last year, where the two had won a bronze each.
The trio cited the protest against Singh as reason for pulling out. They had also skipped the Asian Championships in Astana early last month owing to the agitation after their no show at the selection trials conducted by the government-appointed oversight committee.
"This protest is far more important for us than participating in any wrestling championships. We are needed here and not on the wrestling mat. We didn't give our names for the ranking series because Singh is still roaming around freely and hasn't been arrested," Bajrang said.
