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Sakshi retires: 'These tears are the gift of Modi government'

Last updated on: December 22, 2023 06:33 IST

IMAGE: Wrestlers Sakshi Malik, right, and Vinesh Phogat break down as Bajran Punia tries to console them during a press conference at the Press Club of India in New Delhi on Thursday. Photographs: ANI

Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik on Thursday announced her retirement from the sport protesting against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist Sanjay Singh winning the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) election for the top job.

The Congress said the country will give a befitting reply to the tears of the wrestlers, who sought justice from the BJP government.

"These champion wrestlers brought pride to 1.4 billion (140 crore) Indians. Today, we hang our head in shame that they have decided to retire because the perpetrator of sexual violence against them continues to run Indian wrestling through proxies.

"During their protest, the Home Minister assured justice but today it appears the BJP has continued to shield the accused MP. India will give a befitting reply to the tears of our wrestlers," All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal said in a post on X.

"These tears are the gift of Modi government. The country's daughter Sakshi Malik was demanding justice. She met all the people in the government, staged a protest, got lathicharged and today she became so helpless that she took retirement," the Congress said.

"It is unfortunate ... the daughter of the country, who proved her strength in India and abroad, is saying today -- 'I have lost'," the party said on its official X handle while sharing the video of Malik crying.

Sanjay Singh, a loyalist of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, was elected as the WFI president on Thursday, with his panel comfortably winning 13 of the 15 posts in the much-delayed polls -- an outcome that triggered an outrage among the protesting wrestlers and prompted Malik to announce her retirement from the sport.

The trio of Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Malik had launched an agitation against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in January, aggressively pushing for a change of guard in the WFI, but a close associate of the BJP MP is now at the helm.

Sanjay Singh, the Uttar Pradesh Wrestling Association vice-president hailing from Varanasi, secured 40 votes as against seven of his rival and 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anita Sheoran.