Union minister promises probe into #metoo against BJP MP

New Delhi: Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said that BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh would step aside from the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for four weeks while a committee will probe sexual harassment allegations against him, NDTV reported.

The minister had a meeting with protesting wrestlers for seven, which went past midnight. In the press conference after that, he assured the wrestlers that government would be with them in their battle, whether it was against the sexual harassment allegations or the fund misappropriation.

After the minister made the promise, wrestlers called off the protests.

The minister further said that till the investigation is complete, a committee will oversee the daily activities of the federation.

Meanwhile, Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia said minister Thakur had assured his support for wrestlers. Punia claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi always supported their athletes.

In the meantime, the Indian Olympic Association announced a seven-member panel to probe the allegations levelled by the wrestlers against the BJP MP. The panel will include senior athletes Mary Kom, Dola Banerjee, Alaknanda Ashok, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sahdev Yadav as members.

The MP made the statement despite minister Thakur advising him not to make any statement before the press.

Before the meeting with the minister on Friday night, the protesting wrestlers had written Indian Olympic Association Chief PT Usha seeking action against the BJP MP.

In the letter, the wrestlers had written that wrestler Vinesh Phogat was mentally harassed and tortured by the WEI chief for not making it to an Olympic medal in Tokyo, and she nearly committed suicide. The letter added that Phogat has agreed to reveal the identity of the sexual harassment survivors to the Indian Olympic Association committee.