Amid protests, a look at expenditures made by Centre on wrestlers, wrestling
New Delhi: Top Indian wrestlers like Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat are sitting in a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi since April 23 this year, demanding the arrest of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and his removal from the post in the light of allegations of sexual harassment.
They have accused the Sports Ministry, IOA of not listening to their grievances despite the formation of an 'Oversight Committee' headed by IOA President PT Usha as well as an ad-hoc committee to look into wrestling's day-to-day affairs. Amid the protest, here are some facts about the expenditures done by the government on wrestlers and wrestling, as per sources from the media, the Union Sports Ministry, and the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
The government has spent over Rs 150 crores on wrestling during the last five years.
Rs 63 crores were spent on sending wrestlers to foreign countries for coaching under the guidance of experts.
Technologically-advanced equipment and specialised training were provided to wrestlers at a cost of Rs 2.5 crores. Also, out-of-pocket allowances worth Rs 15 crores were provided to the expert.
Apart from all this, Rs 35 crore have been spent on domestic training, Rs 25 crore on national coaching, Rs 7 crore on specialised support and Rs 2 crore for national championship events.
Top wrestlers like Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, have personal expenses of Rs 2.16 crores and Rs 2.58 crores respectively.
Wrestlers will be taking out a candle march at 7:00 PM on Sunday as a part of their protest against the Wrestling Federation of India and its president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh.
Vinesh Phogat also said, "The further course of action is being discussed with our legal team. They will decide what to do next."
Earlier, on Friday, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said the Delhi Police was conducting an unbiased investigation against the wrestling federation chief and were working to meet the demands of the protesting grapplers.
He also urged the grapplers to allow the ongoing probe to get over.
"A demand had been put forward to form a committee and a panel was constituted. Two FIRs have also been registered by Delhi Police and Supreme Court also gave its verdict. Delhi Police is conducting a fair investigation," said the Union Minister.
The Union Minister said that free and fair elections of the Wrestling Federation of India has been taken into consideration and that the Indian Olympic Association is working towards it.
"They asked for a committee, which has been already constituted," Thakur said on the sidelines of an event in Lucknow.
On April 23, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshee Mallik returned to the protest site at Jantar Mantar, claiming that six women wrestlers, and a minor, filed a sexual harassment complaint against Brij Bhushan at Connaught Place Police Station but Delhi Police did not register an FIR. The protesting grapplers also demanded that the Sports Ministry make the findings of the Oversight Committee public.
On Wednesday, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha met the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar.
Usha, a retired Indian track and field athlete and a Rajya Sabha MP, had earlier ruffled feathers with her remarks that the wrestlers should have approached the IOA instead of hitting the streets against the WFI and its president.
"Indian Olympic Association is having a committee for sexual harassment, instead of going to the streets they (protesting wrestlers) could have come to us earlier but they did not come to IOA. It is not good for sports not only for wrestlers, they should also have some discipline," the IOA president told reporters last week, a remark that didn't go down well with the wrestlers.
Three months ago prominent wrestlers came forward to lead a protest against the WFI chief, following which the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the formation of an 'oversight committee' to probe allegations against the WFI, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and some coaches.
The protesting wrestlers have made it clear that they won't move until they get justice and Brij Bhushan be removed as the WFI chief and put behind bars. (ANI)
