Wrestler Bajrang Punia returns Padma Shri Award in protest over WFI chief election

• Image Credit: Googlr

• Dec 22, 2023 | Guriya Khatun

Sakshi Malik expressed intense pain and sadness when she spoke at the news conference in the nation's capital, breaking down before she left the room.

Digital Desk: Prominent Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi protesting over the selection of Sanjay Singh, a close friend of Brij Bhushan as the Chief of the Wrestling Federation of India. Punia also returned his Padma Shri award as a sign of protest.

"I am returning my Padma Shri award to the Prime Minister. This is a letter to say that," Bajrang Punia wrote on X.

"I hope all is good with you, Prime Minister Ji. Although I know you must be busy with many work, I am writing to let you know about the state of the nation's wrestlers. You should know that the nation's female wrestlers began a protest against Brij Bhushan Singh in January of this year, claiming he had harassed them sexually. I had also joined their protest. Following the government's pledge of firm action, the demonstration was called off," Punia wrote.

"However, no FIR was filed against Brij Bhushan even after three months. In April, we thus returned to the streets in an attempt to get the Delhi police to at least register a formal complaint against him. As of April, there were just 7 complainants, down from 19 in January. By using his power, Brij Bhushan compelled the other 12 wrestlers to end their protests."

In the highly anticipated WFI elections, which took place in New Delhi on Thursday, December 21, Sanjay Singh defeated former gold medallist at the Commonwealth Games Anita Sheoran by a vote of 40 to 7. Following Sanjay Singh's election, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat spoke at a news conference when Sakshi declared her desire to resign from the sport in protest. We gave it our all in the fight, but I'm giving up wrestling if a man like Brij Bhushan—his business partner and close aide—is chosen to lead WFI. I won't be on the mat starting today," Sakshi said.

Sakshi Malik expressed intense pain and sadness when she spoke at the news conference in the nation's capital, breaking down before she left the room. The WFI elections, which were originally scheduled for August 12, were postponed due to a Punjab and Haryana High Court order, which extended the stay until September 25.

Nationwide wrestling is governed by these elections, which were initially slated for June. Earlier this month, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik met with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur in the nation's capital to talk about the WFI elections.

Prominent wrestlers around the nation accused former leader and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan of sexually abusing female wrestlers, leading to a five-month-long protest against him.