Wrestlers' protest against WFI chief: 6 latest developments

Wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Anshu Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on February 19.

The protest against the Wrestling Federation of India chief, accused of sexual harassment, continued in Delhi for the third day on January 20. Prominent wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, have been sitting in protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding the federation be disbanded altogether.

Here are the six latest developments in the protest: 

- The protesting wrestlers' meeting with sports minister Anurag Thakur ended without a resolution at 2 am. Thakur assured them that their complaints will be addressed and urged them to end the demonstration, but the wrestlers refused to back down till WFI is dissolved, news agency PTI reported.

- Olympic-winning boxer Vijender Singh joined the Delhi protest today morning.

- Meanwhile WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh announced he will hold a press conference after 4 pm today to "expose the political conspiracy" behind him being accused of sexual harassment.

- The Congress questioned why Singh had not resigned yet. "That should have been the first step," Congress' Pawan Khera said. "Then, the prime minister should issue a statement and restore the confidence of families (of wrestlers allegedly abused by Singh)."

- Singh has been accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers for many years. Vinesh Phogat claimed that she knew 10-20 women who had been victimised by him. The WFI chief has denied the allegations.

- Wrestler Babita Phogat, who joined BJP in 2019, is acting as a mediator between the government and the protestors.

(With inputs from PTI)