Protesting wrestlers on a hunger strike at India Gate, ‘to throw medals in Haridwar’s Ganga’

The Olympic gold medal-winning wrestlers from India, including Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Sangeeta Phogat, announced in a letter on May 30 that they will travel to Haridwar on May 31 and immerse their medals in the Ganga at 6 o’clock. The wrestlers, who were arrested after being removed from their Jantar Mantar protest location, also announced that they will hold a hunger fast at India Gate.

We are going to immerse these medals in the Ganga, the letter in Hindi stated. The more sacred the Ganga is to us, the more sacred it is for us to have worked so hard to earn these medals. These medals should be kept in the Ganga itself because they are sacred to the entire nation.

The invitation of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to the Sunday opening of the new Parliament building was also criticised in the statement by PM Narendra Modi. The wrestlers claimed that PM Modi, “who calls us our daughters,” never once expressed concern for them.

Days prior to the wrestlers’ heartbreaking letter, the Delhi Police had filed a FIR against them in accordance with several provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). On suspicion of rioting and interfering with public employees while they were performing their duties, the Delhi Police apprehended 109 protesters at Jantar Mantar.

30 wrestlers have been protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and its coaches. The WFI head and coaches have been accused of sexual harassment by multiple female athletes including a minor.