Wrestlers Protest: ‘Will return medals to go back to normal life,’ say Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat
New Delhi: Wrestlers protest slewed late night on Wednesday when cops allegedly 'misbehaved' with athletes protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against the Wrestling federation of India (WFI) chief and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
"We will return all the medals won at the international level and those given by the government. To what level, will we tolerate the humiliation? We are being humiliated, dragged to the ground," said Vinesh Phogat.
Talking to media person grappler Bajrang Punia said, "They did not respect that we are Padam Shri Awardee and treated us like that. They were drunk and misbehaved with us."
"If this is how the wrestlers will be treated, what will we do with the medals? Rather we will live a normal life and return all the medals and awards to the Indian Government. Nation's daughters and sisters are begging for mercy on roads and nobody cares yet," he added.
My statement was misprinted: PT Usha
On being asked about the meeting with athlete and Rajya Sabha member PT Usha, Vinesh Phogat said that the former asked them to resume training and call off the protest while the hearing will continue in the Supreme Court.
Usha who earlier called the protestors indisciplined for hitting the road and tranishing India's nation met the grapplers on Wednesday and said she is an athlete first then, a MP. She said she will support the protestors.
Phogat said PT Usha told them that her statement was "misprinted" and she did not say anything such. The wrestler added that they asked the Rajya Sabha MP to raise wrestlers' voice in the Parliament as "the god has given her such power that she can clean the Indian sports."
Read More :-WRESTLERS PROTEST: NEERAJ CHOPRA, KAPIL DEV ECHO FOR JUSTICE, ASK FOR ‘TRANSPARENT INQUIRY’
"Cops started pushing us back"
Breaking into tears after the scuffle, Vinesh Phogat said, “The area is filled with water and there was no place to sleep, so we thought of bringing the cots. When we brought the folding beds here, the cops started pushing us back."
“If you want to kill us, then kill us. Did we win medals for the country to see this day? We have not even eaten our food. Does every man have a right to abuse women? These policemen are holding guns, they can kill us," she added.
Read More :-‘READY TO FILE FIR AGAINST FORMER WFI PRESIDENT BUT….’: DELHI POLICE TO SUPREME COURT
Security Tightened
A heavy police have been deployed on Wednesday at the protesting site to keep the situation in contol. Meanwhile, DCPs of all districts in Delhi have been put on alert in their districts, especially in the border areas.
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