New Delhi: A day after Olympian Sakshi Malik quit wrestling, star grappler Bajrang Punia returned country's fourth highest civilian honour Padma Shri in protest against the election of the new Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Sanjay Singh.
He has left his Padma Shri award on Kartavya Path pavement near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence saying he will not take the award back home.
"As I have said earlier we were fighting for our daughters and sisters. I could not get justice for them. Due to this, I think I do not deserve this honour. I came here to return my award, However, I could not meet with PM because I didn't have an appointment. PM has a busy schedule. So I am putting my award on the letter written to PM. I will not take this medal to my home" Bajrang Punia told reporters.
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मैं अपना पद्मश्री पुरस्कार प्रधानमंत्री जी को वापस लौटा रहा हूँ. कहने के लिए बस मेरा यह पत्र है. यही मेरी स्टेटमेंट है। 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/PYfA9KhUg9
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) December 22, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">मैं अपना पद्मश्री पुरस्कार प्रधानमंत्री जी को वापस लौटा रहा हूँ. कहने के लिए बस मेरा यह पत्र है. यही मेरी स्टेटमेंट है। 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/PYfA9KhUg9
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) December 22, 2023मैं अपना पद्मश्री पुरस्कार प्रधानमंत्री जी को वापस लौटा रहा हूँ. कहने के लिए बस मेरा यह पत्र है. यही मेरी स्टेटमेंट है। 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/PYfA9KhUg9
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) December 22, 2023
Punia expressed his disappointment and alleged that the government failed to keep their promise to wrestlers made during the protest. "We are not fighting against the government. The government failed to fulfil their promises and statements. We have already stated that Brij Bhushan is a powerful man and people who work under him are everywhere," he added.
The Delhi Police personnel picked up both the letter and the Padma Shri medal. Earlier in the day, Punia had written a letter on the social media indicating that he will return the honour to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"I am returning my Padma Shri award to the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi). This is just my letter to say (it). This is my statement," Punia wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
On Thursday, former WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh's loyalist Sanjay Singh won the WFI elections after he defeated Anita Sheoran. Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat expressed their disappointment after Brij Bhushan's close aide emerged triumphant in the WFI polls. Sakshi broke down at a press conference revealing that she will quit the Olympic sport.
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किसी खिलाड़ी के मरने पर रोने का इंतज़ार करना अभी 🙏
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) December 22, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
आपका नया भारत देश मुबारक हो महिलाओं के सम्मान में 🙏 https://t.co/peF3jOPLk1
">किसी खिलाड़ी के मरने पर रोने का इंतज़ार करना अभी 🙏
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) December 22, 2023
आपका नया भारत देश मुबारक हो महिलाओं के सम्मान में 🙏 https://t.co/peF3jOPLk1किसी खिलाड़ी के मरने पर रोने का इंतज़ार करना अभी 🙏
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) December 22, 2023
आपका नया भारत देश मुबारक हो महिलाओं के सम्मान में 🙏 https://t.co/peF3jOPLk1
Now, Bajrang Punia has also joined the list of grapplers who are unsatisfied with the decision and he has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he is returning his Padma Shri award.
"Sports have empowered our women athletes, changed their lives. All credit to the first-generation women athletes. The situation is such that the women who could have been the brand ambassadors of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' are now taking back their steps in their sports. And we 'awarded' wrestlers could not do anything. I can't live my life as a Padma Shri awardee while our women wrestlers are insulted. Hence I return my award to you," Bajran wrote in his letter to the Prime Minister.
The star grapplers had taken to the street to protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexually-harassing women grapplers. After assurance from Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, the wrestlers had withdrawn their protest. However, the grapplers have once again expressed their sheer disappointment over the election of Sanjay Singh in different ways.
Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala has taken a dig at the current dynasty saying Sakshi Malik's retirement from the sport is a dark chapter in the history of the sports.
"The announcement of the retirement of the country's first female wrestler to win an Olympic berth after the election of BJP MP Brij Bhushan's assistant and 'nominee' Sanjay Singh, accused of sexual harassment daughters is a "dark chapter" in sports history," he remarked in a press conference.
"Modi government has proved that the real slogan is to, "make daughters cry, torment and make sit at home. This has become the sports policy of the BJP government."
Star grappler Vinesh Phogat has also reacted on Bajrang Punia's letter to the Prime Minister with a social media post expressing his anguish.
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