'Not even consulted': Indian wrestlers unhappy with Sports Ministry's newly formed Oversight committee

हमें आश्वासन दिया गया था कि Oversight Committee के गठन से पहले हमसे परामर्श किया जाएगा। बड़े दुख की बात है कि इस कमेटी के गठन से पहले हमसे राय भी नहीं ली गई. @narendramodi @AmitShah @ianuragthakur

— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) January 24, 2023

"We were assured that we would be consulted before the Oversight Committee was formed. It is very sad that we were not even consulted before the formation of this committee. @narendramodi @AmitShah @ianuragthakur," Vinesh Phogat wrote in a tweet.

हमें आश्वासन दिया गया था कि Oversight Committee के गठन से पहले हमसे परामर्श किया जाएगा। बड़े दुख की बात है कि इस कमेटी के गठन से पहले हमसे राय भी नहीं ली गई. @narendramodi @AmitShah @ianuragthakur

— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) January 24, 2023

हमें आश्वासन दिया गया था कि Oversight Committee के गठन से पहले हमसे परामर्श किया जाएगा। बड़े दुख की बात है कि इस कमेटी के गठन से पहले हमसे राय भी नहीं ली गई. @narendramodi @AmitShah @ianuragthakur

— Sakshee Malikkh (@SakshiMalik) January 24, 2023

हमें आश्वासन दिया गया था कि Oversight Committee के गठन से पहले हमसे परामर्श किया जाएगा। बड़े दुख की बात है कि इस कमेटी के गठन से पहले हमसे राय भी नहीं ली गई. @narendramodi @AmitShah @ianuragthakur

— sarita mor 🇮🇳 (@saritamor3) January 24, 2023

Other star wrestlers, Sakshee Malikkh and Bajrang Punia tweeted the same on their official Twitter handles.

The announcement of the commitment was made by Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday. Thakur announced on Monday that boxer Mary Kom will be heading the oversight committee formed to probe into the allegations levelled against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and other coaches.

"Oversight Committee has been formed today. Mary Kom will head the Oversight Committee. For the coming month, the committee will investigate the allegations put up by the wrestlers," Thakur told the media in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.

"Assistant Secretary WFI was sacked and an oversight committee will begin an impartial probe so that everything gets clear," Anurag Thakur said.

Meanwhile, the Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) Annual General Body Meeting (AGM), which was supposed to start at 10 am on Sunday in Ayodhya, was called off amid the ongoing battle between the wrestlers and its governing body in the country.

Following the wrestlers' protest, this meeting was seen as being of utmost importance. The development comes after the central government on Saturday evening suspended WFI Assistant Secretary Vinod Tomar. Along with this, the activities of WFI were immediately banned till the completion of the investigation into the allegations of the wrestlers.

After late-night parleys with the protesting star grapplers, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday night announced that Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will 'step aside' from the day-to-day affairs of the WFI till the 'oversight committee' led by Olympian MC Mary Kom completes its inquiry into the allegations against him.

The probe committee has been given a mandate of four weeks to submit its report, the minister added. The wrestlers, who were protesting at Jantar Mantar, called off their protest after a meeting with Union Sports Minister Thakur on Friday.

(ANI)

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