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‘We’re giving 10 days’ time to the federal government to revoke the suspension of the brand new WFI and permit it to carry age group nationals.’
IMAGE: Junior wrestlers protest towards Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi on Wednesday. {Photograph}: ANI
The continued disaster in Indian wrestling took a brand new twist on Wednesday when a whole bunch of junior wrestlers assembled at Jantar Mantar for a symbolic three-hour protest towards the lack of one essential 12 months of their careers, a state of affairs for which they blamed high grapplers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat.
Loaded in buses, the junior wrestlers arrived from completely different elements of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi, catching the police unawares.
Near 300 of them got here from Arya Samaj Akhara in Chhaprauli, Baghpat whereas many others got here from the Virender Wrestling Academy in Narela. The safety personnel struggled to manage them as they shouted slogans towards Punia, Malik and Phogat.
Braving chilly circumstances, the junior wrestlers arrived at Jantar Mantar at 11am and left after three hours with a warning that if the federal government doesn’t elevate the Wrestling Federation of India’s suspension inside 10 days, they are going to begin returning their awards.
The protesters had been carrying banners that learn: ‘UWW (United World Wrestling) save our wrestling from these 3 wrestlers’.
One other banner learn: ‘Kar Diya Desh Ki Kushti Ko Barbaad: Sakshi Bajrang, Vinesh Phogat’.
Quickly after the election of recent office-bearers, WFI introduced the internet hosting of the Underneath-15 and Underneath-20 Nationals in Gonda, UP however the ministry suspended the physique, resulting in the cancellation of the proposed match.
A number of wrestlers, who may have competed within the junior classes for one final time, misplaced the chance.
“It was a symbolic protest. We’re giving 10 days’ time to the federal government to revoke the suspension of the brand new WFI and permit it to carry age group nationals.
IMAGE: Bhartiya Kisan Union president Naresh Tikait and others give blessings to wrestlers together with Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat throughout their protest final 12 months. {Photograph}: ANI
“If they do not do it, we’ll begin returning our Arjuna and different awards to the federal government similar to Bajrang and Vinesh have completed,” stated Greco-Roman wrestler Sunil Rana, who’s an Arjuna awardee and a bronze medallist from the 2023 Asian Video games.
Muzaffarnagar stadium coach Pradeep Kumar stated, “Greater than 90 per cent of Akharas (coaching centres) in UP are with us on this protest. There are solely three wrestlers on one facet and lakhs on the opposite. They’ve spoilt the careers of lakhs of wrestlers throughout the nation.”
“These individuals haven’t any respect for nationwide awards. They’re leaving them on the roads,” Kumar added, referring to Punia and Phogat returning their authorities honours.
“They stored saying that they had been protesting for ladies and junior wrestlers however they’ve spoilt careers of lakhs after incomes all of the laurels. Their protest is simply to get high WFI posts. As soon as that occurs, they are going to cease all protests,” added Kumar.
Paradoxically, nearly a 12 months again on the similar protest web site, the highest three wrestlers had managed to attract enormous assist for his or her trigger after they known as for the arrest of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexually harassing ladies wrestlers.
Hundreds of individuals from completely different sections of society, together with farmers’ teams, social employees, politicians, ladies’s teams and members of the wrestling fraternity, got here out to assist Sakshi, Vinesh and Bajrang.
The three at the moment are going through protests from inside their group, with these assembled at Jantar Mantar accusing them of ruining their careers.
“I’ve given 18-20 years to the game. Solely I do know what I’ve gone by means of.Quite a lot of improper issues are being stated on social media. I’ve come to find out about this protest from you (media). That is Brij Bhushan’s propaganda. These are all his males who’re protesting at jantar mantar,” stated Sakshi when her response was sought on junior wrestlers’ protest.
In the meantime, Bajrang stated he “will not lend any credence” to the Wednesday’s protest by commenting on it.
Supply near Tokyo Video games bronze medallist Bajrang stated, “These are all Brij Bhushan’s supporters. The place had been they after we had been sitting on protest. They didn’t take into consideration wrestling then?”
Since January 2023, nationwide camps and competitions have been on maintain because the WFI has been suspended twice and an ad-hoc panel is working the game.
“A complete 12 months for these junior wrestlers has gone waste. The brand new WFI had taken the choice for the welfare of the wrestlers who had not seen even district or state-level competitions, depart apart the nationals,” stated Vivek Malik who belongs to the Arya Samaj Akhara in Baghpat.
“However the brand new physique was suspended. This physique was elected on the directions of the court docket however it wasn’t allowed to work and show itself even for 3 days. The suspension must be lifted and the WFI must be allowed to operate.
“That they had the duty of finishing the wrestling calender earlier than December 31, so what improper did they do to warrant the suspension?” he requested.
These protesting on Wednesday demanded that the suspended WFI be restored after disbanding the ad-hoc panel, which has been appointed by the sports activities ministry.
The protesters additionally defaced the placards bearing pictures of Punia, Malik and Phogat earlier than trampling them.
In a memorandum, Sunil Rana, coach Naresh Dahiya, wrestlers Nikki and Varun Gujjar other than Rajendra ‘pehlwan’, demanded that “the federal government ought to hearken to not simply the three wresters however all the fraternity.
“We request that the federal government lifts WFI suspension and take strict motion towards the wrestlers who insulted the federal government honours by leaving their awards on the street.”
Punia had returned his Padma Shri whereas Vinesh had returned her Arjuna and Khel Ratna awards, saying that these awards imply nothing when they’re struggling to get justice.
The ad-hoc panel introduced that it’ll organise Underneath-15 and Underneath-20 Nationals inside six weeks in Gwalior and suggested the protesting wrestlers to proceed coaching and practising for Nationals.
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