Sakshi Malik reiterates wrestlers' call to remove WFI president, seeks 'complete revamp'

India's top wrestlers including the likes of Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat staged a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Wednesday against the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). They called on WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to step down from the post, levelling serious charges of corruption, mental harassment, and sexual exploitation. Meanwhile, Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik spoke exclusively to Republic TV, where she called for an investigation into the matter. 

Sakshi, while speaking to Republic TV, said the protesting wrestlers are soon going to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to explain the matter in detail, including the kind of torture they went through. She went on to add that the problem at the federation is huge, and called for the removal of the president and a complete revamp of the organisation. Sakshi further stated that the protest is not connected to any political party and is a direct fight with the federation. 

"There should definitely be an investigation to find out the truth in the matter. We are going to talk to our Prime Minister and Home Minister, where we will reveal the details of the entire matter and what kind of torture we went through. The problem is huge which is why all the big names from the wrestling world are here. We are here to boycott the Wrestling Federation of India. We want a complete revamp of the federation and the removal of the president so that the upcoming wrestlers don't face difficulties as we did," Sakshi Malik told Republic TV. 

"We do not belong to any political party. Our direct fight is with the wrestling federation and not with any government. Prime Minister has always supported us and he listens to us. he has listened to me personally on several occasions. It's just that we want justice in this matter," she added. 

WFI president's response

Meanwhile, the WFI president has issued a response of his own, where he has denied all charges and has refused to step down from the top post. He claimed that Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik told him a week ago that they had no problems. Brij Bhushan Singh said that he is ready for an investigation into the matter after refuting all charges levelled against him by the wrestlers. He also alleged that a top industrialist is behind the protest and wants him removed from the post.

Image: Twitter/BajrangPunia/Republic