"It Hurts Me...": Neeraj Chopra On Wrestlers' Protest Amid #MeToo Row

A number of renowned Indian wrestlers have taken to the streets at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding justice over the #MeToo allegations made by them against the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. It's the second time that the wrestlers had to take to streets, demanding action to be taken against the WFI chief over alleged sexual harrasment of multiple female wrestlers. As the protests continue, India's 'Golden Boy' Neeraj Chopra has taken to Twitter urging the authorities to take quick action on the matter.

Taking to Twitter, the ace javelin throw athlete admitted that his heart breaks seeing the wrestlers taking to the street in search of justice. He wrote:

"It hurts me to see our athletes on the streets demanding justice. They have worked hard to represent our great nation and make us proud. As a nation, we are responsible for safeguarding the integrity and dignity of every individual, athlete or not. What's happening should never happen. This is a sensitive issue, and must be dealt with in an impartial and transparent manner.

"Pertaining authorities must take quick action in order to ensure that justice is served."

Ace Indian grapplers such as Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and many other wrestlers are involved in the protest against the WFI chief.

Earlier, Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra supported the wrestlers in their protest with a poignant tweet on Wednesday.

"As athletes, we train hard every day to represent our country on the international stage. It is deeply concerning to see our athletes finding it necessary to protest on the streets regarding the allegations of harassment in the Indian wrestling administration," Bindra tweeted.

"My heart goes out to all those who have been affected. We must ensure that this issue is handled properly, with the athletes' concerns heard and addressed fairly and independently. This incident highlights the crucial need for a proper safeguarding mechanism that can prevent harassment and ensure justice for those affected. We must work towards creating a safe and secure environment for all athletes to thrive in," he added.

Over the previous four days, the wrestlers have slept and trained at the protest location.

On Wednesday, grapplers held a candle march at Jantar Mantar in the national capital as they continue their protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh. Vinesh Phoghat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik were present in the candle march.

With ANI inputs

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