SHASHI Tharoor, Urmila Matondkar and Priyanka Chaturvedi come in support of protesting wrestlers

The controversy between the management and wrestlers doesn’t seem to come to an end as the confrontation between the national and international Indian wrestlers especially the women wrestling stars who’d brought laurels for the country by winning several Golds, Silvers n bronzes are continuing their protest sit in at Jantar Mantar for the last few days. However, the statement of the chairperson of Indian Olympics association, MP and outstanding celebrity known as flying queen of India P. T. Usha against the protesting Dharna has added fuel to the fire. While the protesting wrestlers have strongly opposed the statement of PT Usha opposing their sit in at Jantar Mantar terming it as an act of indiscipline, the senior diplomat turned Congress leader n MP Shashi Tharoor too has taken a strong stand against the veteran flying queen P. T. Usha tweeting : DEAR @PTUshaOfficial, it is just not become you to disparage the justified protests of your fellow sportspersons in the face of repeated & wanton sexual harrassment. Their standing up for their rights does not” tarnish the image of the nation”. Ignoring their concerns- instead of hearing them out, investigating them and taking just action – does. The tweet of Shashi Tharoor was seen by 3 lakhs 96 thousands and one hundred persons and evoked good number of responses on twitter.

Another Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP earlier Congress spokesperson, outspoken Priyanka Chaturvedi also came in support of protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar saying that when our MPs are accused of sexual harrassment going scot free and the victim wrestlers have to protest to seek justice, the image of our country is tarnished.

She also expressed her resentment over the statement of IOA chairperson and former RS MP P. T. Usha tweeting Ma’m am sorry as we must collectively speak up for our sportswomen than accusing them of tarnishing the image who had brought laurels for our nation giving us reason to be proud tweeted Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi.

Kindly recall that the women wrestlers of national and international standing are protesting at Jantar Mantar for the last few days for the second time demanding legal punitive action against the Wrestling Federation of India chairman n BJP MP Brijbhushan Sharan Singh accusing him for sexual harrassment and incessant victimization.

It may be recalled that the women and men wrestlers who have won good number of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals for the country raising India’s prestige globally have resumed their sit in protest at Jantar Mantar on 23 rd April.

Three months ago they had sat on the protest Dharna at the same venue demanding resignation / termination of the WFI president accusing him of sexual harrassment and registering of the FIR against him.

The Dharna was lifted after the Sports minister had assured of formation of an oversight Committee that would probe into the ongoing controversy and take necessary action against the guilty.

The WFI president was directed to give up coming to WFI office and intervening in its affairs till the probe is completed.

The matter has therefore subsided then. But after three months when no action was taken in the matter the angered and furious wrestlers recommended their sit in protest at Jantar Mantar blaming the government of protecting the guilty president and several coaches responsible for sexually harassing and victimising the women wrestlers.

Meanwhile , the IOA chairperson and MP PT Usha while opposing the sit in protests and blaming protesting wrestlers for indiscipline tarnishing the image retorted : The players should not have protested on the streets. They should have at least waited for the report of the committee. What they have done is not good for the game and the country terming their action as a negative approach annoying all the protesting men and women wrestlers who said that PT Usha is our icon and we have felt hurt but what she has uttered.

Olympian Bajrang Punia expressing his annoyance said I want to ask her, when her academy was being demolished and she has raised her concerns on social media, then she was not tarnishing India’s image he told to a news agency.

Several political leaders like former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, outspoken former J& K Governor Satya Pal Malik, CPM leader and former MP Brinda Karat and good number of MPs n women leaders are visiting them at the protest site Jantar Mantar to express their solidarity with their genuine cause. The Congress MP n Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar has also come in open support of the protesting wrestlers.