‘Our Fight Is Against Brij Bhushan, Not Government’: Wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Satyavrat Kadian Release Statement; Watch

Veteran Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyavrat Kadian on Saturday said their fight is against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and not the central government. Sakshi shared a video on Twitter on Saturday, clarifying the rumors doing the rounds for the past few days. “We are protesting against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh because he has sexually assaulted women wrestlers. He has also been involved in several scams while running the wrestling federation. A narrative is being fabricated against us. Yes, rumors are being spread. Satyavrat said in the video, a section of the media is spreading misleading news. The purpose of this video is to share our truth.

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Satyavrat said that his fight is against Brijbhushan, who was accused of sexual harassment by several female wrestlers. “We have said many times that our fight is not against the government, but against the WFI chief, who has committed crimes, as alleged by the federation’s leadership,” Satyavrat said.

Truth.#protest of wrestlers pic.twitter.com/eWHRpOSwD9— Sakshi Malik (@SakshiMalik) June 17, 2023

He claimed that nearly 90 per cent people associated with wrestling are aware of “what is being done to women wrestlers for the last 10 to 12 years”. 90 per cent of the people associated with it, including the wrestlers themselves and their coaches, knew about what was happening to our women wrestlers for the last 10 to 12 years. Media too,” he said.

Clarifying further on the claims that there was politics behind the wrestlers’ protest and that they were instigated by Congress leader Deepender Hooda, he said, “We were earlier accused of a politically motivated protest. It was said that Congress leader Deepender Hooda Hooda instigated us. Start the protest. We started this protest in January and sought prior permission from two BJP leaders. We have proof of this.”

Sakshi also clarified why the wrestler did not come out against the alleged sexual harassment earlier, saying, “We were accused of keeping quiet for too long. However, there are many reasons for this. We were not united and secondly , there were minors among the victims. She (the minor wrestler, who had accused Singh of sexual harassment and on whose complaint a POCSO case was registered against him) gave her statement under IPC sections 161 and 164. However, after She retracted her statement because her family was threatened,” Sakshi said in the video.

At the end of the video address, he thanked people for supporting his cause, adding that everyone should stand up against injustice. Olympians Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat along with other wrestlers have been protesting in the national capital since the beginning of this year to press for the arrest of Brij Bhushan over the sexual assault allegations.

Delhi Police files charge sheet in connection with FIR against Brij Bhushan on complaint of sexual harassment by protesting wrestlers. Special Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava said that the chargesheet has been filed under sections 354, 354D, 345A and 506(1) of the IPC. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections are to be held on July 6. The process of filing nominations will start from June 19.