Bajrang Punia refuses claims of political and businessman backing made by WFI president

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New Delhi, Jan 19: With the India wrestlers' protest entering the third day, decorated wrestler Bajrang Punia on Friday rejected claims of political backing by WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, saying that this is the fight for the wrestlers' rights and wrestlers will fight it alone.

"I want to say this clearly that we have not been backed by any political party or businessman as claimed by our WFI president, who tried to give it a political and casteist colour," said Bajrang during a media briefing on Friday. "Ye hum pehelwano ki haq ki ladai hai aur hum pehelwan ise akele hi ladenge (This is fight of the wrestlers' rights and we will manage it our own. With all due respect, we don't want any political parties to come and support us."

Earlier Brij Bhushan claimed that a named industrialist is backing the wrestlers in the protest with the likes of Bajrang and Vinesh Phogat, who are sponsored by JSW, are spearheading the protest at the Jantar Mantar.

Bajrang rejected those claims as well saying that he is willing to surrender his phone for the investigation to prove that there's no conspiracy against WFI top brass but a fight of suppressed wrestlers against their autocratic federation.

"The claims of big businessman supporting us is wrong as well. If anybody is still doubting us, call CID or any police you need to, and we will submit our phones and calls record. You won't find anything because we wrestlers have come together on our own accord. Nobody was forced to be here, everyone wants WFI's dictatorial regime to end," said Bajrang.

Speaking of the late-night meeting with sports minister Anurag Thakur that lasted beyond four hours on Thursday, Bajrang said the sports minister has assured them that necessary action will be taken against accused WFI officials.

However, it has been learned that wrestlers were not happy with the suggestions made by Thakur, who wanted the wrestlers to return to training and not protest. The protesting wrestlers at the meeting, including Ravi Dahiya, Deepak Punia, Sakshi Malik, Satyawarth Kadian among other names, maintained they won't end the protest until the WFI is disbanded.

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to host a press conference in Gonda

Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh took to Facebook on Friday morning to announce a press conference in his fiefdom Gonda at 4 PM, saying he will reveal the truth behind the wrestlers' protest.

The WFI president earlier refused to step down from his post claiming he is yet to speak to PM Narendra Modi and the sports minister on the matter while maintaining that all accusations against him were baseless.

Upon reaching Delhi at WFI office in New Delhi on Wednesday, Brij Bhushan also said that he will hang himself if the allegation made by the wrestlers, especially of sexual harassment, are found to be true.