The protesting wrestlers on Saturday warned against using their platform for political gains after a group of people was heard raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking to reporters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia said they are fighting for justice for India’s daughters but some people are trying to project it as a ‘bhadkau andolan’.
“A few people are trying to take our movement to a different direction and we strongly refute it. This is a fight for justice for India’s daughters,” he said, without taking any names.
“A lot of people have entered the protest site and trying to project it as a ‘bhadkau andolan’ but this is a fight to save Indian wrestling. People who are here (assembled) are in our support but not for any political gains,” said Bajrang.
“Politics and other things are secondary, the dignity and honour of women is first, so please don’t indulge in politics. This is players’ movement, so do not link to any political party,” he added.
Some of India’s top wrestlers are leading a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over sexual harassment allegations against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
A purported video from the protest site showed a man raising anti-Modi slogans on a mic at the protest venue. Star wrestler Vinesh Phogat distanced herself from the slogans and sought to placate the people in positions of power.
“All those, who hold constitutional posts (I want to say), that the common man also deserves respect. We respect all, we will not say anything that goes against their honour, but we should also be respected,” she told reporters.
The warning from the wrestlers came on the day many politicians, including Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, joined the wrestlers in their protest. Kejriwal said that those who commit wrongs against women “should be hanged”, while Congress demanded Singh’s arrest and his ouster as president of the wrestling federation.
