Bajrang Punia returns Padma Shri in protest in opposition to Brij Bhushan aide successful election

A day after Rio Olympics medal successful wrestler Sakshi Malik introduced her retirement from the game, Tokyo Olympics medallist Bajrang Punia on Friday returned his Padma Shri award.

In movies posted on X, formally referred to as Twitter, Punia was not allowed to enter Kartavya Path in Delhi to return his Padma Shri. Punia then left his award on the footpath.

An hour earlier than this, the Haryana wrestler, in a letter addressed to Prime Minister which he posted on X, Punia stated that he’s returning his Padma Shri award, which was conferred upon him in 2019, to protest the election of Sanjay Singh because the president of the Wrestling Federation of India on Thursday.

In his letter, Punia stated that regardless of being conferred with varied honours for his achievements within the sport, he might do nothing to maintain the game protected for his fellow feminine wrestlers. Residing life as an “honoured” athlete would damage him, Punia added.

Sanjay Singh is an in depth aide of Bharatiya Janata Celebration MP and former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Brij Bhushan was ousted from his put up after the wrestlers, together with Punia, Malik and Vinesh Phogat accused him of sexual harassment and intimidation.

Seven complainants, together with a minor, accused Brij Bhushan of demanding sexual favours for skilled assistance on a minimum of two events, 15 incidents of molestation and different types of sexual harassment.

Sanjay Singh, who hails from Varanasi, has been an in depth affiliate of Brij Bhushan with the latter supporting him for the election.

Sanjay Singh was earlier part of the final government council of the Wrestling Federation of India and likewise served because the physique’s joint secretary since 2019.

Under is the complete translated textual content of Bajrang Punia’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi:

Revered Prime Minister,

Hope you’re properly. You can be busy serving the nation. Amidst your busy schedule, I wish to draw your consideration to our sport of wrestling. You have to be conscious that within the month of January this 12 months, the ladies wrestlers of the nation had made severe allegations of sexual harassment in opposition to Brij Bhushan Singh, who was in control of the wrestling federation. 

When the motion began, I additionally joined it. The agitating wrestlers returned to their houses in January when the federal government assured them of taking concrete motion. However even after three months, when the FIR was not filed in opposition to Brij Bhushan, then within the month of April, we wrestlers once more took to the streets and protested asking the Delhi Police to a minimum of register an FIR in opposition to Brij Bhushan Singh. 

However issues nonetheless didn’t work out, so we needed to go to court docket. We needed to go and lodge an FIR. In January, the variety of complainant girls wrestlers was 19, which got here all the way down to seven by April. That’s, in three months, together with his energy, Brij Bhushan Singh had repelled 12 girls wrestlers of their struggle for justice. The motion lasted for 40 days. In these 40 days, one feminine wrestler additional retreated. There was quite a lot of strain on all of us. Our protest website was destroyed and we had been chased out of Delhi and our protest was banned. When this occurred we had no thought what to do. That’s why we considered shedding our medals within the Ganga. Once we went there, our coaches and the farmers didn’t enable us to take action. On the similar time, a name got here from certainly one of your accountable ministers and we had been instructed to return again. That justice could be finished to us. In the meantime, we additionally met our Dwelling Minister, through which he assured us that he’ll assist the ladies wrestlers in getting justice and can expel Brij Bhushan, his household and his henchmen from the Wrestling Federation. We accepted his recommendation and ended our motion from the streets, as a result of the federal government would resolve the wrestling union and the struggle for justice could be fought within the court docket These two issues appeared logical to us. 

However within the wrestling federation elections held on December 21, Brij Bhushan has as soon as once more received. He gave the assertion that “there may be dominance and there shall be dominance.” An individual accused of sexual exploitation of feminine wrestlers was once more overtly claiming his dominance over the physique that manages wrestling. Underneath this psychological strain, Sakshi Malik, the one lady wrestler to win an Olympic medal, retired from wrestling. 

All of us spent the evening crying. We couldn’t perceive the place to go, what to do and the best way to stay. The federal government and the individuals gave us a lot respect. Ought to I proceed to suffocate underneath the burden of this respect? Within the 12 months 2019, I used to be awarded the Padma Shri and was additionally honoured with the Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award. I used to be very completely happy once I obtained these honours. It appeared my life had been profitable. However as we speak I’m extra sad than earlier than and these honours are hurting me. There is just one purpose. My fellow girls wrestlers have to surrender the game of wrestling for his or her security. The identical sport which gave me this honour.

Sports activities had introduced great modifications within the lives of our girls gamers. Earlier, it couldn’t be imagined within the rural areas that girls and boys could be seen taking part in collectively within the rural fields. However this might occur due to the braveness of the primary technology girls gamers. You will note women taking part in in each village and they’re even going overseas to play. However those that had been dominatin the game or will proceed to dominate, even their shadow scares the ladies gamers and now they’ve fully taken over once more. The photograph of them with flowers and garlands round their necks should have reached you. The daughters who had been to develop into the model ambassadors of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao have been put in such a state of affairs that they must step again from their sport. We “revered” wrestlers couldn’t do something. I won’t be able to stay my life as a “revered” particular person after our feminine wrestlers had been insulted. Such a life will torment me. That’s why I’m returning this “honour” to you. 

At any time when we used to go to any program, the stage director would introduce us by calling us Padma Shri, Khel Ratna and Arjun awardee wrestlers and other people would clap with nice enthusiasm. Now if somebody calls me like this, I’ll really feel disgusted as a result of regardless of having a lot respect, a feminine wrestler was disadvantaged of the respectable life that everybody needs to stay.

I’ve full religion in God, there may be delay in his home however not darkness. Sooner or later justice will certainly conquer injustice.

Yours 

Bajrang Punia

Disrespected wrestler