Bajrang Punia's full statement while returning his Padma Shri Award

On Thursday, BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's loyalist Sanjay Singh being elected as the Vice President of UP's Wrestling Association, discontent arose among members of the wrestling community. Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik conveyed her disappointment through a press conference and announced her retirement.  We fought from our heart but if a man like Brij Bhushan, his business partner and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I give up wrestling. From today onwards you will not see me on the mat, Sakshi said as she kept her boot with tears in her eyes. In January 2023, Indian wrestlers-initiated protests, demanding an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment involving female wrestlers by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh during his presidency at the Wrestling Federation of India. Despite these allegations, Brij Bhushan Singh's ally, Sanjay Singh, secured victory as the Vice President of UP's Wrestling Association. Singh, representing one faction, clinched a decisive win with 40 votes, overshadowing his opponent, Anita Sheoran, who managed only seven votes. The election outcome was widely anticipated, as the opposing faction lacked the necessary numerical support for a competitive challenge.

Hope you are well. You will be busy serving the country. Amidst your busy schedule, I want to draw your attention to our wrestling. You must be aware that in the month of January this year, the women wrestlers of the country had made serious allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan Singh, who was in charge of the wrestling association. When those women wrestlers started their movement, I also joined it. The agitating wrestlers returned to their homes in January when the government told them of concrete action. But even after three months, when FIR was not filed against Brijbhushan, then in the month of April, we wrestlers again took to the streets and protested so that Delhi Police should at least register an FIR against Brijbhushan Singh, but still things did not work out. So we had to go to court and lodge an FIR. In January, the number of complainant women wrestlers was 19, which came down to 7 by April. In these three months, with the power of his strength, Brij Bhushan Singh had repelled 12 women wrestlers in his fight for justice.

मैं अपना पद्मश्री पुरस्कार प्रधानमंत्री जी को वापस लौटा रहा हूँ. कहने के लिए बस मेरा यह पत्र है. यही मेरी स्टेटमेंट है। 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/PYfA9KhUg9

— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) December 22, 2023

The movement lasted for 40 days. In these 40 days, a female wrestler retreated further. There was a lot of pressure on all of us. Our protest site was destroyed and we were chased out of Delhi and our protest was banned. When this happened, we had no idea what to do. That’s why we thought of shedding our medals in the Ganga. When we went there, our coach Sahiban and the farmers did not allow us to do so. At the same time, a call came from one of your responsible ministers and we were told to come back, justice would be done to us. Meanwhile, we also met our Home Minister, in which he assured us that he will support us in justice for the women wrestlers and will expel Brij Bhushan, his family and his henchmen from the Wrestling Federation, we accepted his words and started our movement from the streets. It was abolished because the government would resolve the wrestling union and the battle for justice would be fought in the court, these two things seemed logical to us.  

But in the wrestling association elections held on December 21, Brij Bhushan has once again won. He gave the statement that “dabdaba hai aur dabdaba rahega.” The accused of sexual exploitation of female wrestlers was again openly claiming his dominance over the body that manages wrestling. Under this mental pressure, Sakshi Malik, the only woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal, retired from wrestling. We all spent the night crying. Couldn’t understand where to go, what to do and how to live. The government and the people gave so much respect. Should I continue to suffocate under the burden of this respect? In the year 2019, I was awarded Padmashree. Also honored with Khel Ratna and Arjun Award. I was very happy when I received this honour. It seemed that life had been successful. But today I am more unhappy than that and these honors are hurting me. There is only one reason, in wrestling for which we get this honor, our fellow women wrestlers have to give up wrestling for their safety. Sports had brought tremendous changes in the lives of our women players. Earlier in the rural areas it could not be imagined that boys and girls would be seen playing together in the rural fields, but 

This could happen because of the courage of the first generation women players. In every village you will see girls playing and they are going to the country and abroad to play, but those whose dominance has been established or will remain, even their shadow scares the women players and now they have completely taken over again, their photo of flowers and garlands around the neck must have reached you. To become the brand ambassador of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao for those daughters. He was put in such a situation that he had to step back from his game. We “respected” wrestlers could not do anything. I will not be able to live my life as “respected” after the women wrestlers were insulted. Such a life will hurt me forever, that is why I am returning it to you out of respect. 

Whenever we used to go to any program, the stage director would introduce us by calling us Padma Shri, Khel Ratna and Arjun awardee wrestlers and people would clap with great enthusiasm. Now if someone calls me like this, I will feel disgusted because despite having so much respect, she was deprived of the respectable life that every female wrestler wants to live. 

I have full faith in God, there is no delay in his house, not darkness. One day justice will definitely triumph over injustice. 

Yours Bajrang Punia , 
Disrespected wrestler