Wrestlers Keep 5 Demands Before Anurag Thakur

Wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshee Malikkh who met Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday have kept five promises before him, according to NDTV.

The meeting was called by Thakur to break the deadlock as the wrestlers continued their protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, demanding his resignation.

This crucial meeting occurred days after protesting wrestlers had a late-night meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Going by the report in NDTV, Punia and Malikkh have kept five promises before the Sports Minister. They are:

1. Elections to the WFI are to be conducted in a free and fair manner.
2. A woman should be made the chief.
3. The police case filed against them during a protest on the day of the new Parliament House inauguration should be withdrawn.
4. Brij Bhushan Singh should be arrested.
5. Neither Singh nor any of his family members should be part of the WFI.

The meeting happened today after Thakur, in a late-night tweet, said the government was "willing to have a discussion with the wrestlers on their issues". "I have once again invited the wrestlers for the same," he said.

According to a report in PTI, the government is willing to accept most of their demands, but the arrest of Singh, who is also a BJP MP, remains the bone of contention.

The wrestlers had also resumed their duties with the Northern Railways, last week. Sakshi Malik and Punia are attached with Railways as OSD.

Since April 23, the wrestlers have been agitating against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, demanding his arrest after several women wrestlers accused him of sexually harassing them.