NEW DELHI: In January 2023, three leading faces of Indian wrestling,
Bajrang Punia
,
Vinesh Phogat
and
Sakshi Malik
- who among them shared 49 major international medals including those won at the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games - sat on a dharna at Jantar Mantar. They demanded strict action
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh
, alleging that former federation chief had sexually harassing six female wrestlers.
Cut to January 2024. Call it irony or a dramatic twist of fate, the junior grapplers, who almost a year ago had unconditionally supported the agitation launched by their senior pros, held on Wednesday a symbolic three-hour dharna at the same protest site against Bajrang, Vinesh and Sakshi, accusing the trio of playing with their careers and stalling the conduct of the under-15 and under-20 Nationals, which resulted in hundreds of wrestlers becoming ineligible to compete in these age-group tournaments.
Around 500 wrestlers from different parts of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh assembled at Jantar Mantar at 11 am and started raising slogans against Bajrang, Vinesh and Sakshi, with several of them holding placards which read: 'UWW (United World Wrestling) save our wrestling from these 3 wrestlers' and 'Kar Diya Desh Ki Kushti Ko Barbaad (You have destroyed the country’s wrestling), Sakshi Bajrang, Vinesh Phogat'.
Close to 300 of them have come from Arya Samaj Akhara in Chhaprauli in Baghpat while others belong to Virender wrestling academy in Narela. The protestors, accompanied by their coaches and support personnel, left the site three hours later but not before warning the government that if it doesn't lift the wrestling federation's (
WFI
) suspension within 10 days, they will start returning their awards. The protesters also defaced the placards bearing images of Bajrang, Vinesh and Sakshee before trampling them.
"We are giving 10 days to the sports ministry to revoke the WFI's suspension and allow it to hold the age group Nationals. The newly-elected body of WFI had announced to conduct the Nationals from December 28 to 30 in Gonda. That would have prevented several junior wrestlers from losing a crucial year. Now, they all have become ineligible because of the ministry's decision to suspend the federation. We squarely blame Bajrang, Vinesh and Sakshi for the mess. Because of their vested interest, they have ruined the careers of these junior wrestlers," said Hangzhou Asian Games bronze medallist in greco-roman category, Sunil Rana. "If the ministry doesn't go back on its decision, we will also start returning our government awards just like Bajrang and Vinesh," he added.
Men's freestyle wrestler Vishal Kaliraman, who wasn't selected for the Hangzhou Asiad despite topping the selection trials and whose place was offered to Bajrang by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA)-appointed ad-hoc panel, said he was disappointed with the act of senior pros returning their national awards.
"They have been doing it for their selfish interest. I was denied the opportunity to compete at the Asiad because Bajrang was chosen over me. Similarly, Vinesh too accepted the ad-hoc panel's decision to compete directly in Hangzhou when Antim Panghal had won the trials. They don't want the welfare of the country's wrestlers. These junior wrestlers have called their bluff and have realised that they too need to hit the streets to earn their dues. Bajrang, Vinesh and Sakshi kept saying that they launched the protest to safeguard the interests of women and junior wrestlers. But, in reality, they have ruined the careers of lakhs of junior wrestlers. Their protest was only to get a say in the WFI by capturing the top posts," alleged Kaliram.
Taken aback by the sudden turn of events, the newly-constituted three-member ad-hoc committee of the IOA - mandated to run the day-to-day affairs of the WFI - swiftly announced the conduct of the under-15 and under-20 Nationals within six weeks in Gwalior and advised the protesting wrestlers to continue their training for the event.
"The committee acknowledges the concerns raised by the young wrestlers and is committed to address the issues. The committee is planning to organise the national championships for the U-15 and U-20 categories within the next six weeks at LNIPE, Gwalior," ad-hoc committee chairman Bhupender Singh Bajwa said in a statement.
"The committee reaffirms its full commitment to the growth and development of wrestling in India, fostering a culture of excellence and perseverance. The young wrestlers are advised to continue training and practising for these events," added the statement.
Earlier, Sakshi called a press conference at her residence here and accused Brij Bhushan of running a propaganda campaign against them. "I have given 18-20 years to the sport. Only I know what I have gone through. A lot of wrong things are being said on social media. I have come to know about this protest from you (media). This is Brij Bhushan's propaganda. These are all his men who are protesting at Jantar Mantar," she alleged.
Sakshi added that the protesting trio have no issues if Brij Bhushan's loyalist, suspended WFI chief Sanjay Kumar Singh, is removed from his post. "We don't have any issues with the new federation except one man, Sanjay Singh. You have seen how he has been behaving. I don't want his interference in the federation."
The 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medallist also claimed that her mother has been receiving threat calls from Brij Bhushan's supporters. Since January 2023, national camps and competitions have been on hold as the WFI has been suspended twice and an ad-hoc panel is running the sport.
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