Tearful wrestlers put off medal-immersion plan in Ganga, here’s why

Despite the fact that Brij Bhushan Singh, a BJP MP, has been officially charged by the Delhi Police, the wrestlers have been protesting against the lack of action taken against him. The wrestlers’ decision to symbolically submerge their medals in protest came a few days after they were forcefully dragged and detained during a march to the new Parliament building on May 28.

VIDEO | “Immersing your (wrestlers) medals in Ganga won’t make the government hang me. Present your proof to the court, and if they choose to hang me, I will accept,” says WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh on wrestlers' charges against him. pic.twitter.com/VxzverByEa

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 31, 2023

The day commenced with a heartfelt message from the wrestlers, expressing their emotions. “It seems that these medals adorning our necks no longer hold any significance,” stated Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat. In reference to the crackdown that took place on Sunday, the wrestlers voiced their disappointment, stating that they feel the police and administration are treating them like criminals.

Around 6 pm, the wrestlers engaged in the protest reached Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar to submerge their medals, which included prestigious honors from the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Emotional scenes unfolded as the wrestlers, visibly moved, sat at the Ganga ghat, clutching their medals tightly to their chests. Subsequently, a crowd of supporters gathered, chanting slogans and urging the wrestlers to reconsider their decision to immerse the medals.

A concise outline of the wrestlers’ protest that unfolded on the banks of the Ganga river in Haridwar can be summarised as follows:

1. With tears in their eyes, the wrestlers arrived at the location carrying their medals, fully intending to immerse them before proceeding to Delhi for a sit-in protest at India Gate. Overwhelmed with emotions, the wrestlers broke down while seated near the banks of the Ganga river in Haridwar, as their supporters made efforts to console them. Nevertheless, following the intervention of farmer leaders, the wrestlers have decided to temporarily hand over their medals to Rakesh Tikait, the leader of Bharatiya Kisan Union. Additionally, they have issued a clear ultimatum to the central government, setting a deadline of five days to take action by dismissing and apprehending Brij Bhushan Singh.
2. While gripping their medals tightly, expressing their anger and shedding tears, the wrestlers received support from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble, who both expressed their solidarity with the athletes through tweets.
3. During the ongoing protest, the Delhi Police, who had already closed down the Jantar Mantar protest site to the wrestlers, stated that the athletes would not be permitted to hold their demonstration at India Gate either. According to police sources, the national monument is not designated for such protests, and alternative locations for their sit-in protest will be proposed
4. Around 8 pm, Naresh Tikait, the National President of Bharatiya Kisan Union, arrived at Har Ki Pauri and provided solace to the emotionally distraught wrestlers. Following Tikait’s intervention, the wrestlers decided to suspend their intended act of immersing their medals in the Ganga river. Instead, they set a five-day ultimatum for action to be taken against Brij Bhushan Singh. Subsequently, the wrestlers departed from the Ganga ghat, but they have pledged to return if no action is initiated within the given five-day timeframe.
5. Since April 23, the wrestlers had been engaged in a protest at Jantar Mantar, raising their voices against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India and a BJP MP. The wrestlers accused him of sexually harassing female grapplers, including a minor, which served as the primary motivation for their ongoing protest.