Wrestlers' protest: Not even an appeal to hold on to their medals?

Coming out in support of the wrestlers, the Congress questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party BJP on the sexual harassment allegations made by the wrestlers against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Congress leaders Deepender Singh Hooda and Olympic medal winner boxer Vijender Singh said that it was unfortunate and shameful that the wrestlers had to make the decision to immerse their medals in the river Ganga. Addressing a press conference, the leaders pointed out that the government's slogan of ‘beti bachao, beti padhao’, has proved to be hollow and it was quite clear that the government was not ready to stand with nation’s daughters.

“Our wrestlers had reached Haridwar with their medals. They must have been in pain and their medals are like their life. Their medals signify the sacrifices which they made to win and it is the pride of the country, their hard work. And immersing medals for any wrestler is like losing your life,” said Hooda.

Targeting the Prime Minister, Haryana MP Hooda asked, “I want to ask PM Modi and the government why no appeals were made to the wrestlers not to immerse their medals. All of them took photographs with the medallists. Why didn't the PM and the government make an appeal? They didn't even bother to say that a fair probe would be conducted. What message does this send out?”

"BJP leaders want to talk about Uniform Civil Code, but does it not apply to them. What is the reason that a man against whom there are sexual harassment allegations is being protected by the entire government machinery?" questioned Hooda, and reminded everyone that this is not the first example as a similar case in Haryana came up against the state Minister Sandeep Singh.

Hooda said that until now, of the 23 individual medals India won in Olympics till date, 11 were won by players from Haryana.

He also said that this country has a history of protecting daughters, even if they are from the families of its enemies and giving justice to daughters has been the tradition.

"Want to warn the government that for the insult of one woman, Mahabharata had happened. The way in which our daughters were manhandled was unfortunate. Don't test the patience of people," he said, adding that "don't the daughters of Haryana deserve the respect and justice."

The boxer-turned-politician Vijender Singh pointed out, “If this would have happened during Congress’ rule, the minister would have been suspended by now.” He also appealed to the people and media to give their support to wrestlers.

To a question about the Delhi Police sources claiming that no ground of arrest for the WFI President has come till now, Hooda said, "The credibility of Delhi Police is in the dock. The Delhi Police were not ready to register an FIR first. So they need to issue a statement on the details of its probe."

Earlier, Hooda on Tuesday had appealed to protesting wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia not to go ahead with their decision to throw away their medals in the Ganga at Haridwar.

Hooda, in a tweet, said: "You have not got these medals with the grace of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, but you have got them through years of hard work and dedication," he said.

His remarks came after many star wrestlers, many of whom had won Olympic medals, were on Sunday forcibly removed by police from their protest site at the Jantar Mantar after they tried to march towards the new Parliament House building.

The wrestlers eventually handed over their medals to Bhartiya Kisan Union chief and Balian Khap head Naresh Tikait, who had reached Haridwar's Har ki Pauri to stop them from putting these into the Ganga as a symbolic act of protest against Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, whom they have accused of sexual harassment.

Tikait, along with the wrestlers, have given five days to the government to sort out their demands, failing which wrestlers will go ahead with their decision to submerge their medals in the Ganga.

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia along with other protesters have been protesting since April 23, 2023, and demanding the removal of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as the WFI president and his suspension as a Member of Parliament.

On Sunday, the protests came to a headway after scuffle with security personnel who tried to stop them from marching to the new parliament building as it was being inaugurated. Soon after, the Delhi Police cleared the site of their over-month-long sit-in at Jantar Mantar and said they would not be allowed to return there.