Wrestlers slam rumours of withdrawing from protests

Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia on Monday said they will continue their fight for justice, asserting that none of the wrestlers have backed down and rubbished reports of their withdrawal from the protest as attempts to "sabotage" the movement.

The news of our withdrawing from the movement is just a "rumour", Punia said, adding that the report of women wrestlers taking back the FIR is also "false".

Bajrang and Sakshi along with Vinesh Phogat, are at the forefront of the protest demanding action against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has denied allegations of sexually harassing female athletes.

"This news is completely wrong. In the fight for justice, none of us has backed down, nor will we. Along with Satyagraha, I am fulfilling my responsibility in Railways. Our fight continues till justice is served. Please don't spread any wrong news," Malik tweeted.

Reacting to the reports, Punia said,"This news is being spread to harm us. We have neither retreated nor have we withdrawn from the movement. The news of women wrestlers taking back the FIR is also false. The fight will continue till justice is served."

"Those who told our medals to be worth Rs 15 each are now after our jobs. Our life is at stake, a job is a very small thing in front of that. If the job is seen to be an obstacle in the way of justice, then we will not take even ten seconds to leave it. Do not show fear of job," he added.

Their reactions came amid reports that both of them have withdrawn from the protest, dealing a big blow to the more than two-month-old protest.

Asked if she has distanced herself from the movement since she resumed her duties in the Railways, Sakshi told reporters,"Let me make it clear, we are making our strategy to take our fight forward. We will ensure that there is no violence, how we can take the protest forward, we are working on that.

"I am (an) OSD (officer on special duty) first and I have a lot of responsibilities, so as long as we are making our strategy and not sitting on the protest, I will take care of my official duties."

On the reports that the minor girl has withdrawn her FIR, she said,"This is all fake news to weaken our Satyagraha and our protest to alienate us from the public. This is wrong. We have not gone back on our fight and we will not do so.  Till we get justice, the fight will go on."

On the meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, she said: "It was a normal conversation. No final solution has emerged. Our stance will remain the same, arrest the accused. Vinesh, Bajrang and I are together in this fight and till we get justice, we will remain united."

Vinesh hits out at 'fake news'

Borrowing a verse from Urdu poet Abid Adeeb, Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat on Monday launched a broadside against those "spreading fake news" about the wrestlers' protest, accusing them of "trembling" in front of a "goon".

"Do those who spread fake news even realise the trauma that women wrestlers are going through? Weak media has legs that start trembling in front of a goon's hunter, not a female wrestler," Vinesh tweeted.

To conclude her tweet, Vinesh remembered these lines by Abid Adeeb, "Jahah pohonch ke kadam dagmagaye hain sab ke usi mukam se ab apna raasta hoga (Where everyone's steps have wavered to reach, from the same place will now have its way)."

Earlier in the day, Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia said they will continue their fight for justice, asserting that none of the wrestlers have backed down and rubbished reports of their withdrawal from the protest.

The news of our withdrawing from the movement is just a "rumour", Punia said, adding that the report of women wrestlers taking back the FIR is also "false".

The wrestlers have been protesting against Brij Bhushan, demanding his arrest on allegations of sexual harassment against seven wrestlers, including one minor. He has denied all the charges.