Vinesh outrage prompts stars to lend their voice: Pained, hope for justice

A DAY after World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat questioned the scarcity of help from totally different sportspersons, Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra and a lot of different totally different prime sportspersons on Friday lent their help to the wrestlers protesting in direction of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The nation’s first-ever monitor and topic Olympic gold medalist, Chopra acknowledged he was hurt to see athletes having to demand justice by protesting on the streets.

“They have worked hard to represent our great nation and make us proud. As a nation, we are responsible for safeguarding the integrity and dignity of every individual, athlete or not,” he tweeted.

Vinesh, who’s on the forefront  of the protests, had suggested The Indian Express all through an Idea Exchange programme that she anticipated her fellow athletes to “at least put up a neutral message and say there should be justice for whichever party. This is what pains me… Be it cricketers, badminton players, athletics, boxing…”

Soon after Chopra’s current of help, former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh, world champion boxer Nikhat Zareen, former hockey captain Rani Rampal and a lot of Grand Slam winner Sania Mirza had been amongst people who extended solidarity to the wrestlers, who’ve been on a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi since Sunday.

Harbhajan, an AAP Rajya Sabha MP, acknowledged it hurts him to see the satisfaction of India coming out to protest on the streets. “Sakshi, Vinesh are India’s pride. I am pained as a sportsperson to find the pride of our country coming out to protest on the streets. I pray that they get justice. #IStandWithWrestlers,” he wrote on Twitter.

Later throughout the evening, AAP minister Atishi met the wrestlers and promised them help. With Phogat insisting that they could proceed the protest until Singh was arrested, AAP has promised to supply meals, water and electrical vitality for the wrestlers at Jantar Mantar.

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu acknowledged he’ll probably be changing into a member of the wrestlers’ ‘satyagraha’ on Monday. In a tweet, the Congress chief often known as the delay in submitting of the FIR a “tear on the cheek of time in Indian history”.

Star Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen wrote on Twitter: “It breaks my heart to see our Olympic & World medallists in this state. Sportspeople also serve the nation by bringing glory & laurels… I sincerely hope & pray that the law takes its own course and justice is served at the earliest.”

Much sooner than this wave of help, India’s two sporting greats – former cricketer Kapil Dev and Olympic gold worthwhile shooter Abhinav Bindra – had thrown their weight behind the wrestlers.

On Thursday, Kapil Dev posted a picture of Vinesh, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, with a caption: “Will they ever get justice?”

Bindra’s publish acknowledged: “My heart goes out to all those who have been affected. We must ensure that this issue is handled properly with athletes’ concerns heard and addressed fairly and independently.”