Vinesh Phogat, Indian Woman wrestler, has followed her fellow wrestler Sakshi Malik’s path. She has decided to return her awards like Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards. She had announced on Tuesday that she would return the awards back to government and hand them over to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PM Modi did not respond to her open letter and her announcement. On Saturday, she had decided to go by walk to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office and house and leave her awards outside. Delhi Police have stopped her stating that she has no permission to do so. As a protest, she left her awards at Kartavya Path.
https://twitter.com/BajrangPunia/status/1741073208776986961
Earlier, Olympic Medalists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik have also decided to return their awards. Sakshi Malik has decided to quit wrestling and declared her decision in an emotional press meet. Bajrang Punia had left his Padma Shri at Kartavya Path as a protest against WFI elections and elected President.
The wrestlers have been protesting against WFI ex-president and MP Brij Bhushan for more than a year. IOC has even suspended WFI and Brij Bhushan has resigned to his post. Delhi Police have registered a case against him for alleged sexual harassment and abuse against Women Wrestlers. Now, his close aid Sanjay Singh won in the recent elections and wrestlers have decided to protest in this manner.
Government has dismissed the new elected board. But Wrestlers are seeking complete abolishment of any kind of influence by Brij Bhushan and his people, followers in the Wrestling Federation of India, WFI. Many more wrestlers are looking to follow the same path if Government remains silent on this aspect.