"Akhilesh Yadav knows me...": WFI chief on SP chief not joining wrestlers protest

Gonda: In a significant claim, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Sunday, said that Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav knows him since childhood and most wrestlers from the state also know how their 'Netaji' is.

He made the remarks on being asked as to why Yadav has not joined the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar while several Opposition leaders have done. Speaking to ANI, Singh said, "Akhilesh Yadav knows the truth. We know each other since childhood. 80 per cent of the wrestlers in Uttar Pradesh belong to families with Samajwadi Party ideology. They call me 'Netaji'. They say how their Netaji is".

Notably, several Opposition leaders including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi went to Jantar Mantar to support the Indian grapplers.

The WFI chief also claimed that 90 per cent of athletes of Haryana trust WFI and said that "You don't get justice from Jantar Mantar."
The Delhi Police on Friday registered two FIRs against WFI president Singh over allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation of female wrestlers by him.

Top Indian grapplers such as Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and many other wrestlers are involved in the protest against the WFI chief.

"90 per cent of the athletes and guardians of Haryana trust the Wrestling Federation of India. A few families and the girls who have levelled allegations belonged to the same 'akhada'...The patron of that 'akhada' is Deepender Hooda," Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh told ANI.
Singh also said one cannot get justice from Jantar Mantar if you want it you have to knock on the door of the court.
"You don't get justice from Jantar Mantar. If you want justice, you have to go to the Police, Court. They never did that until now. We will accept whatever the court decides..," the WFI chief added.

Earlier in the WFI chief held a press conference in which he asserted that if he resigns from his post it would mean that he has accepted the allegations which have been raised by the wrestlers.

During his press conference, the WFI Chief alleged that the wrestlers are coming with new demands.
"If I resign that means I have accepted their allegations, my tenure is about to end. Till a new party is formed and the government has formed IOA committee under that committee elections will be held and then my tenure will end," he said while speaking with media.

WFI chief added, "Every day they (wrestlers) are coming with their new demands. They demanded FIR, FIR was registered and now they are saying that I should be sent to jail and resign from all posts. I am MP because of the people of my constituency and not because of Vinesh Phogat. Only one family and Akhara (are protesting). Why not people from any other place complaining? Why players from other states Himachal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and other states are not coming forward? 90 per cent of players of Haryana are with me". (ANI)