India's top wrestlers arrested earlier this week announced they had gone on an indefinite hunger strike and would throw their medals into the Ganges River.
The wrestlers, including Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punya, have been protesting for more than a month in New Delhi against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brige Bhushan Sharan Singh, a right-wing party ruling member accused of sexually harassing seven female athletes, including a minor.
Players reached Haridwar Ghat to flow their medals in the Ganges.
#WFI #WrestlersProtest #SakshiMalik #Vineshphogat #BajrangPunia #Ganga_River #Sakshi_Malik #BrijBhushanSharanSingh #Rajput #Haryana
#Haridwar pic.twitter.com/VU4aVW11bO pic.twitter.com/WKj6HxHzFs
— The Mirror (@ncr_mirror) May 30, 2023
"We don't want these medals anymore, because we were meant to wear them as a mask for their politics and we are now being exploited. We will throw the medals in the Ganges, we see the Ganges as sacred as the hard work we put in to win these medals," the wrestlers said.
"These medals are sacred to the whole nation, and to keep them sacred, the best place is in the Ganges, not the system, which makes us their mask and makes us stand by our harasser. These medals are our lives, our souls. Our lives will have no purpose once the medals are washed away in the Ganges. That's why we'll fast to death."
Recently, Delhi police forcibly arrested the protesting wrestlers as they broke through the security fence during the inauguration of the new parliament on Sunday.
Khoob Ladi mardani.....#BetiBachao ? pic.twitter.com/xht3gqkAzE
— SANJAY HEGDE (@sanjayuvacha) May 28, 2023
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The wrestlers first began the protest in January, demanding action against Singh, who has denied all the accusations against him. However, the matter was cancelled after the athletes held a dialogue with Sports Minister Anorg Thakur, who promised a quick solution. On April 23, they renewed their protests after inaction by the authorities.
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