Wrestlers protests: It was one other eventful day (Tuesday, May 30) in the weeks-long protest being carried out by high wrestlers, together with Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat towards Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations.
- Protests attain Haridwar: On a drama-filled Tuesday, a few of India’s greatest wrestlers accompanied by a whole lot of supporters gathered right here on the banks of the Ganga, threatening to immerse their World and Olympic medals in the holy river however refrained after being satisfied by Khap and farmer leaders who sought 5 days to tackle their grievances. Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat arrived at Har ki Pauri to immerse their medals in Ganga. Sakshi, Vinesh and her cousin Sangeeta have been seen sobbing as their husbands tried to console them, whilst scores of their supporters fashioned a cordon round them. The wrestlers stood for about 20 minutes in silence after reaching Har ki Pauri.
- Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s response: “Let the probe happen, it is in the hands of Delhi Police. If found wrong, then arresting will also take place,” the WFI chief stated
- No medal immersion: As the deadline for the immersion of the medals drew nearer, senior farmer leaders Sham Singh Malik and Naresh Tikait sought 5 days’ time from the grapplers to resolve the difficulty. “The khap leaders put their turbans before us and said ‘do not lose hope’. Keep the dignity of the turban and return. So we decided to wait,” stated wrestler Jitender Kinha, who has been part of the protesting group. There have been chaotic scenes on the Har ki Pauri as khap and farmer leaders broke the human chain of supporters to attain out to the grapplers, whilst hundreds of devotees, who had gathered on the event of Ganga Dussehra, seemed baffled as commotion reigned supreme.
- Sports Ministry’s stand: Close on the heels of the wrestlers saying they’d immerse their medals, sports activities ministry sources stated the trophies and medals additionally belonged to the nation. “The medal that the wrestlers have won do not belong to them alone, but to the country, because they played under the Indian flag and their medals have been won with the efforts of not just the wrestlers’ hard work but also the hard work of multiple people like their coaches, support staff,” a ministry supply advised PTI. He added that crores of taxpayers’ cash had gone into their coaching.
- Cannot protest at India Gate: The wrestlers, after being evicted from Jantar Mantar on May 28 have stated they may proceed their protest and go on a starvation strike “until death” on the India Gate. However, the Delhi Police stated on Tuesday that they won’t be allowed to protest at India Gate as it’s a “national monument and not a site for demonstrations”.
- Khaps and farmer: Haryana’s ‘khaps’ and farmer outfits have been among the many organisations which appealed to the protesting wrestlers on Tuesday not to immerse their medals in the Ganga, earlier than the athletes referred to as off the transfer. Throwing their weight behind the protesting wrestlers, Phogat Khap chief Balwant Nambardar had stated, “We request them that these medals are the results of their hard work, sacrifices of their families and support from society. They should not take this step. “”It is unfortunate that those who represented the nation in top international tournaments are forced to take such decisions. The government should be ashamed and give justice to them in the case,” he added. Haryana BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni had additionally requested the protesting wrestlers not to immerse their medals, saying the awards have been a part of nationwide heritage and future generations would take inspiration from these.
- SKM’s nationwide protest: Farmers’ outfit Samyukta Kisan Morcha referred to as for nationwide demonstrations on June 1 in assist of wrestlers who’ve been demanding the arrest of BJP MP and WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accused of sexually harassing girls grapplers. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, in a press release, stated it has given the decision for the nationwide agitation “to secure the democratic right to protest by the Indian wrestlers” and all different sections of society and to “demand the arrest of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Saran Singh”. The Morcha will coordinate with platforms of commerce unions, girls, youth, college students and all different sections, together with intellectuals, to stage demonstrations throughout India, it stated.
- UWW condemnation: The United World Wrestling (UWW) on Tuesday condemned the detention of India’s high wrestlers throughout their protest in Jantar Mantar and threatened to droop the nationwide federation WFI if it fails to maintain its election inside the stipulated time. The world physique stated it has been keeping track of the protest by the wrestlers towards the outgoing Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing a number of girls.
- Opposition leaders’ response: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, TMC chief Abhishek Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed Modi authorities in a refrain demanding motion towards WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
- Muhammad Ali incident: The complete episode was paying homage to the 1960 incident when the legendary Muhammad Ali, then Cassius Clay, threw his Olympic gold medal into the Ohio river to protest racial segregation in the US. However, after spending an hour and 45 minutes, they returned after a number of khap and political leaders urged them not to take such an excessive step.
(With PTI enter)
