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Now, Vinesh leaves Khel Ratna, Arjuna near PM's office
Phogat giving away her Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards comes after Bajrang Punia last week returned his Padma Shri
Four days after she penned a social media message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and announced her decision to return the Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards, international wrestler Vinesh Phogat left the two honours on Kartavya Path near the PM's office on Saturday.
Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia had left his Padma Shri — the country's fourth highest civilian honour — on Kartavya Path in protest a day after the Sanjay Singh-led panel registered a dominating win in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections on December 21.
Phogat, Punia and Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik had led the sit-in protest demanding action against previous WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh alleging sexual harassment. He is facing trial in a Delhi court after Delhi Police filed a charge-sheet.
Sakshi tearfully announced her retirement hours after the WFI results were declared and Sanjay Singh, a close aide of Brij Bhushan, won the contest for the president's post.
The union sports ministry suspended the new WFI body following the protests by Punia and Sakshi, though world championships medallist Phogat still posted her letter on social media and returned the awards on Saturday.
The WFI was suspended with the ministry citing "blatant disregard for the established legal and procedural norms" in the elections. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has formed a fresh ad hoc committee to run the sport. Wushu Association of India president Bhupender Singh Bajwa, 1980 Moscow Olympics hockey gold medallist MM Somaya and former international shuttler Manjusha Kanwar are its members.
In a video clip shared on social media, Phogat and her husband Somveer Rathi are seen walking on the Kartavya Path with her awards. As was the case with Punia, they were stopped by the police. Phogat then left her awards on the road and Delhi Police took possession of them.
Sharing the clip on his X timeline, Punia wrote, "No athlete should see such a day. Country's women wrestlers are going through their worst phase."
Earlier on Saturday, Punia urged the sports ministry to help wrestling activities to resume with the Paris Olympics fast approaching. "There is no wrestling activity in the country for the past many months. Neither any nationals nor any preparatory camps are being held. Olympics are only seven months away but nobody seems to bother. In the last four Olympics, wrestling has delivered four medals to the country. I request the sports ministry to resume wrestling activities to save wrestlers' future," he said.
Meanwhile, senior national championships will be held from February 2-5 in Jaipur under the aegis of Railways Sports Promotion Board in Jaipur. The ad hoc committee, led by Bajwa, announced the schedule late on Saturday. The earlier ad hoc committee, also helmed by Bajwa, had announced senior Nationals from January 2-5 but Sanjay Singh, soon after winning WFI election, had rescheduled it in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra from January 28-30.
