Shashi Tharoor mentioned wrestlers standing up for his or her rights doesn’t “tarnish the picture of nation”. (File)
New Delhi:
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor at the moment slammed the nation’s Olympics physique chief PT Usha for criticising the wrestlers’ public protest over alleged sexual misconduct by the wrestling physique head.
Ms Usha had mentioned the wrestlers’ protest “quantities to indiscipline” and slammed them for not ready for the report by a committee that’s trying into the costs in opposition to Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has denied any wrongdoing.
Pricey @PTUshaOfficial, it’s doesn’t develop into you to disparage the justified protests of your fellow sportspersons within the face of repeated & wanton sexual harassment. Their standing up for his or her rights doesn’t “tarnish the picture of the nation”. Ignoring their issues — as an alternative of…
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 28, 2023
“Pricey @PTUshaOfficial, it’s doesn’t develop into you to disparage the justified protests of your fellow sportspersons within the face of repeated & wanton sexual harassment. Their standing up for his or her rights doesn’t “tarnish the picture of the nation”. Ignoring their issues – as an alternative of listening to them out, investigating them & taking simply motion – does,” the Thiruvananthapuram MP tweeted.
His comment got here a day after PT Usha, a celebrated former athlete and Rajya Sabha member who heads the Indian Olympic Affiliation, strongly criticised the wrestlers’ protest as a “unfavorable strategy” that’s “tarnishing” the nation’s picture.
“The gamers mustn’t have protested on the streets. They need to have at the least waited for the report of the committee. What they’ve completed isn’t good for the sport and the nation. It’s a unfavorable strategy,” she had mentioned.
Her assertion evoked a immediate response from among the many protesting wrestlers, who mentioned they had been damage by her feedback as they had been trying as much as her for assist. That they had additionally written to her to behave on the matter.
The wrestlers’ protest has seen political leaders making a beeline to their venue after they returned to the streets alleging no motion was taken on their costs.
That they had first taken to the streets in January over the alleged sexual misconduct costs, however withdrew their protest following an assurance by Sports activities Minister Anurag Thakur. They’ve additionally moved the Supreme Courtroom for an pressing listening to and are set to be heard at the moment.
The protesters embrace star wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia.
