NEW DELHI: Calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take action against “oppressors” such as Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in Indian sports, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, the protesting duo, criticised the IOA‘s recent decision to return wrestling’s administrative control to the controversy-ridden national federation during their statement on Tuesday.
In vehemently expressed messages on social media platform X, the two wrestlers, who have levied allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan, urged the Prime Minister to intervene.”The Prime Minister is a spin master, knows how to spin the issue by invoking ‘women power’ to counter the speeches of his rivals. Narendra Modi ji, let us also know the real truth of women power,” posted Vinesh, who is bound for the Olympic qualifiers next month in the 50kg category.
“Brij Bhushan, who exploited women wrestlers, has again taken over wrestling. It is hoped that you (PM) will not just use women as shields, but will also do something to oust such oppressors from the sports institutions of the country,” the Asian Games gold medallist wrote.

Retired Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik too said that the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) office-bearers were acting as if they were above the law.
“History is witness to the fact that powerful people in this country have played with the honour of women for centuries.
“…the rich miscreant is so powerful that he is above the government, the Constitution and the judiciary,” she alleged.
“After the government suspended the wrestling association, Brij Bhushan and Sanjay Singh kept giving statements that this suspension is just a show, we will be reinstated after a few days and we will have control over the wrestling association forever.
“This proved to be true and this letter from the Indian Olympic Association officially confirmed this and proved that even in this new India, the age-old tradition of insulting women will continue.”

Their outburst follows the IOA’s decision to dissolve the ad-hoc committee overseeing wrestling in the country and transfer control to the WFI, led by Sanjay Singh, a close associate of Brij Bhushan.
The IOA justified the dissolution by stating that there was no longer a necessity for the ad-hoc committee following the lifting of the suspension on the WFI by United World Wrestling last month.
Vinesh, along with Bajrang Punia and Malik, has been actively protesting against Sanjay’s leadership, asserting concerns that the oppressive atmosphere prevalent during Brij Bhushan’s tenure would persist under him as well.
(With PTI inputs)