Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief PT Usha recently criticised wrestlers’ move to take it to the streets in the alleged sexual harassment case rather than coming to the committee. For the unversed, Indian wrestlers have been protesting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over alleged sexual harassment by Wrestling Federation India chief Bribhushan Sharan Singh. Actor and filmmaker Pooja Bhatt took to Twitter to express her disappointment with PT Usha’s comment.
Pooja Bhatt slams PT Usha as she supports wrestlers
Pooja Bhatt on Friday tweeted against PT Usha and thanked Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Singh who said the IOA chief’s recent comments were in ‘poor taste’.
On April 28, Pooja Bhatt took to Twitter and extended her support to the wrestlers. She wrote, “Thank you @jayantrld for your stand, for raising your voice, and for being by their side when most have deserted them. It is heartbreaking to see our top athletes left with no choice but to take to the streets and to then be reprimanded/issue gaslit by legends like PT Usha (folded hand emoji).”
The original tweet by Jayant Singh that Pooja responded to read, “Our top wrestlers were on the streets in January and should have been heard, when they first spoke about abuse. PT Usha’s comments (are) in poor taste! I stand with my champions.”
PT Usha’s comments
PT Usha told reporters that wrestlers should have approached IO instead of resuming their protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on the streets.
“Our feeling is that for sexual harassment complaints, IOA has a committee and athletes’ commission. Instead of going to the street (again), they should have come to us, but they have not at all come to IOA,” Usha told reporters. “They are sitting on a dharna and asking all political parties to join them, and that is what disappoints me.”
Wrestlers’ protests
Top wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia along with others have been seeking justice over the alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers (including one minor) at the hands of the WFI chief. They began their protest in January and called it off after a meeting with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur. However, they resumed the protest on April 24 after their demands were not met.
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