From Jantar Mantar to new Parliament building to Haridwar: A timeline of wrestlers' protest route

In January, India's top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, gathered in Delhi at Jantar Mantar to protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations levelled against him. Wrestlers demanded his resignation and arrest.

Brij Bhushan Singh, who is also a BJP MP from Kaiserganj, ridiculed the allegation of sexual harassment against him and said he is ready to hang himself if he is found guilty of the charges. The protesting wrestlers demanded that Brij Bhushan Singh should undergo a narco test, and the WFI chief agreed to it, stating a condition that if he has to go through it, so is the grapplers.

After a brief silence, the wrestlers gathered again at the Jantar Mantar in April. On May 28, they marched towards the new Parliament building (it was the inauguration day) and were stopped, manhandled and detained by the police. An FIR was lodged against them, and the protest site at Jantar Mantar was cleared.

On May 30, wrestlers threatened to immerse their hard-earned medals in Haridwar because there has been no action against the WFI chief but ultimately dropped the step after the farmer leaders' intervention.

Here is the story so far:

On January 18: Wrestlers marched to Jantar Mantar and organise a sit-in there under the leadership of Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia. They claim that Brij Bhushan Singh, the head of the WFI, sexually harassed female grapplers, including a minor.

The wrestlers claimed they are getting death threats from WFI officials close to Brij Bhushan Singh. The grapplers demanded the resignation and arrest of Brij Bhushan Singh over the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him.

On January 19: Wrestlers meet Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at his residence to discuss the matter. On the same day, several wrestlers from Delhi and Haryana join the protest at Jantar Mantar, and the wrestlers claimed that they have evidence against Brij Bhushan Singh sexually harassing women grapplers.

On January 20: Wrestlers wrote a letter to Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha. In the letter, they demanded Brij Bhushan Singh's arrest, the dissolution of WFI, the formation of an inquiry committee to probe the sexual harassment allegations against the WFI chief and, after consulting the wrestlers, the appointment of a new committee to run the WFI.

On January 21: The protesting wrestlers again meet Anurag Thakur, and after hours-long deliberations, the grapplers call off their protest after the sports minister assures them their grievances will be addressed.

On January 23: A five-member Oversight Committee (OC) to investigate the case was made, which included boxer Mary Kom being named as its head, Olympic bronze medallist grappler Yogeshwar Dutt, former India badminton player Trupti Murgunde, former CEO of Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), Captain Rajagopalan and former SAI Executive Director (Teams) Radhica Sreeman. The committee got a four-week timeline to complete the investigation.

On January 27: Stating that they were not ready for the wrestling event, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat skipped the Zagreb Open (which began on February 1), the first Ranking Series of 2023.

On January 31: The wrestlers voice their displeasure over Yogeshwar Dutt's participation on the committee. They demand that the OC add another wrestler. Later, Babita Phogat got added as the committee's sixth member.

On February 9: The Oversight Committee also requested a second hearing after hearing the complaints of the women wrestlers. 

On February 20: The second hearing of the committee took place. 

On February 23: The Oversight Committee summoned Brij Bhushan Singh and other witnesses named by the women wrestlers, and the Sports Ministry granted a two-week extension to the committee to finish their investigation.

On April 16: The Sports Ministry received the report from the Oversight Committee. The WFI then declares that elections will take place on May 7. Brij Bhushan Singh, who served for over three terms as the WFI president, said he will not run for re-election.

On April 23: The wrestlers returned to Jantar Mantar, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and his wife Sangeeta Phogat. They claim that despite a complaint being made against Brij Bhushan Singh at the Connaught Police police station in Delhi by seven wrestlers, including a minor, no FIR was filed by Delhi Police. They demanded police to register the FIR and make the report of the Oversight Committee public.

On April 24: The Sports Ministry announced that the WFI's elections conducted on May 7 as "null and void". The ministry then wrote to PT Usha to constitute an ad-hoc committee to conduct the polls within 45 days of the panel's formation and asks her to manage the sports body during the period.

On April 25: Supreme Court issued a notice to Delhi Police to file its response after seven wrestlers approach the Supreme Court, seeking an FIR against Brij Bhushan Singh.

From April 29 to May 1: A number of politicians, including Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, visited Jantar Mantar to support the protesting wrestlers.

On May 3: The protesting wrestlers and Delhi Police got into a late-night confrontation at Jantar Mantar. The wrestlers claimed that the security guards were "drunk" and manhandled them. A few wrestlers are hurt, and some people are detained as a result of the altercation.

On May 4: The Supreme Court asked the protesting grapplers to approach a lower court and closes the proceedings on a plea filed by women wrestlers against Brij Bhushan Singh.

On May 7: Protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar were joined by farmer leader Rakesh Tikait.

On May 11: The protesting wrestlers wore black bands on their heads, arms and wrists and observe 'Black Day' while protesting against Brij Bhushan Singh.

On May 23: Wrestlers carried out a candlelight march from Jantar Mantar to India Gate to mark one month of the protest at Jantar Mantar.

On May 28: The protesting wrestlers march to the new Parliament building on the day of its inauguration. Section 144 (gathering of only four to five people) was imposed in the area. Delhi Police stopped the protesters on the way and as the protesters try to breach the security barricades, they were stopped, manhandled and detained by the police. Later an FIR was lodged against the wrestlers for rioting and other charges.

On May 30: The wrestlers wrote an open letter on social media announcing that they will throw their medals into the Ganga as a mark of protest and reach Haridwar for the same. But the wrestlers dropped the idea after the farmer leader convinced them to give them five more days to resolve the issue.

Responding to this event, in an interview with India Today, Brij Bhushan Singh said, “The wrestlers went to immerse their medals in Ganga ji. But instead of Ganga ji, they gave their medal to (Rakesh) Tikait. That is their stand. What can we do?”

Delhi Police already filed two FIRs against Brij Bhushan Singh last month after complaints from the wrestlers. He was also charged with violating the POCSO Act, which protects children from sexual offences.