Haryana khaps ask Bajrang, Sakshi to reconsider their decisions
In a mark of protest in response to the election of Sanjay Singh, a loyalist of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, as president of WFI, wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia decided to quit wrestling and return Padma Shri award respectively
Two dozen Haryana khaps on Saturday asked Olympic medal winners Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik to reconsider their decision on returning Padma Shri award and retirement from wrestling respectively. More than 24 khap heads held a meeting in Jind and they decided to support both wrestlers.
In a mark of protest in response to the election of Sanjay Singh, a loyalist of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, as president of WFI, wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia decided to quit wrestling and return Padma Shri award respectively.
Kandela Khap president Om Parkash Kandela said, “These two wrestlers had won medals for the country without any favour from any person or government. We appeal to them to change their decision. They are role models to budding wrestlers and if they don’t re-introspect it will impact the upcoming generations. We understand our wrestlers’ pain and helplessness which forced them to take such tough decisions.”
Majra Khap head Gurvinder Singh Sandhu said that such decisions will give a message that justice does not prevail and wrestlers will start quitting the game.
“ Politics should be avoided in games and the Prime Minister should talk to these players and try to sort out their issue. The khaps are ready to spill their blood for them. Medals are wrestlers’ life and after giving them back would have no meaning. These wrestlers’ have worked hard for years to get the medals and it is easy to comment on them and use abusive language against them,” he added.
Phogat Khap president Balwant Nambardar said that the government should appoint sportspersons at key positions of federation, instead of giving charge to politicians and their aides.
“ With Sanjay Singh taking charge as WFI head, all the important decisions will be taken by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh from behind the scenes. The wrestlers’ were demanding a female WFI head. The government which talks about women empowerment has failed to appoint a woman at the top position of the wrestling federation. We will hold talks with other khaps and decide further course of action,” he added.
Congress politicising wrestlers’ cause: Abhay Chautala
General secretary of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Abhay Singh Chautala, on Saturday accused the Congress party of making the wrestler’s issue political and said that the cause is not for athletes any more.
Speaking to the media, the INLD leader mentioned about their meeting with Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and said that there should be no politics in the name of athletes. “We saw how Deepender Hooda arranged a meeting of the players with Priyanka Gandhi. There should be no politics in the name of athletes. Government has given them an assurance. They have been given voting rights to choose their president and the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) president is chosen democratically,” he said.
