Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will visit Jantar Mantar in Delhi today to meet the protesting wrestlers following Congress leader Sachin Pilot’s meeting with them on Friday. The wrestlers, who have been in a standoff with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), will also announce their next course of action. CM Gehlot is expected to arrive at the protest site around 3 PM. Sachin Pilot, while expressing his support for the wrestlers, called for impartial legal proceedings against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh, who is accused of sexual harassment.
Prominent wrestlers such as Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat, along with several organizations including farmers, have been protesting at Jantar Mantar since April 23, demanding action against Brij Bhushan Singh. They have warned of taking their protest globally and making a significant decision if no action is taken against Singh by May 21. Two FIRs have been registered by the Delhi Police in connection with the sexual harassment allegations, including one under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The wrestlers have criticized Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, accusing him of attempting to cover up the complaints by forming an oversight committee instead of taking concrete action. Earlier, the wrestlers had staged a protest in January, which was called off after assurances of a government investigation and the formation of a five-member panel to look into the allegations against Brij Bhushan Singh.