On Wednesday, the ongoing turmoil in Indian wrestling witnessed a new development as hundreds of junior wrestlers gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to voice their grievances against the loss of a critical year in their careers. The junior wrestlers, who came from various regions of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi, directed their protests towards top Indian wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat, holding them responsible for their career setbacks.
Arriving in buses, the junior athletes caught the police off guard with their sudden assembly. Notably, around 300 participants traveled from the Arya Samaj Akhara in Chhaprauli, Baghpat, while others came from the Virender Wrestling Academy in Narela. Many remained on the buses, intending to join their peers at the protest site as more wrestlers were expected to arrive.
The scene at Jantar Mantar was charged, with security personnel struggling to manage the crowd as they chanted slogans against Punia, Malik, and Phogat. The protestors held banners pleading with the United World Wrestling (UWW) to 'save our wrestling from these 3 wrestlers'.
This protest marks a stark contrast to the scenario nearly a year ago at the same venue, where Punia, Malik, and Phogat had successfully garnered widespread support. At that time, they led a movement calling for the arrest of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment of female wrestlers. The earlier protest drew support from diverse groups, including farmers, social workers, politicians, women's groups, and the wrestling community.
However, the tables have turned, with the trio now facing backlash from within their own wrestling community. The demonstrators at Jantar Mantar accuse them of causing disruptions that have adversely affected their careers.
Since January 2023, the wrestling landscape in India has been tumultuous, with national camps and competitions being suspended amidst the WFI's dual suspensions and the installation of an ad-hoc panel by the sports ministry to oversee the sport. The protesters on Wednesday demanded the reinstatement of the suspended WFI and the dissolution of the ad-hoc panel, highlighting the urgent need for stability and progress in Indian wrestling.
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