Former Sports Minister of United Andhra Pradesh and ex-MP V. Hanumantha Rao appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do justice to the wrestling community, especially women wrestlers.
Mr. Rao wrote to the Prime Minister saying, “I write this letter with a lot of anguish and dismay at the recent incidents and happenings in the whole process of election of president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFA).”
“You (PM) are trying to protect your MP but if there is no security to women sportspersons, how will parents send their girls to sports schools and encourage their daughters in sports?” the former MP asked. “The state of affairs in the WFI could be guessed by the way some renowned wrestlers such as Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia have quit and returned their awards,” the letter said.
“You boast a lot on the welfare and security of women in the country. Your government also introduced 50% reservation for women in Parliament. If justice is not done to women, for whose benefit has the Women’s Reservation Bill been passed,” he asked.
“I demand that the Union Government should respect the sentiments of women and initiate action against the former WFI president Brij Bhushan, allegedly involved in sexual harassment of women wrestlers. It is important to create an atmosphere where women feel safe to take up sports,” he concluded.
