Please listen to us: Protesting wrestlers’ clarion call to PM Modi

By Express News Service

NEW DELHI/CHENNAI:  As the day broke, the protesting wrestlers had workouts at Jantar Mantar before continuing with their stir on Wednesday. The country’s top wrestlers — Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and VInesh Phogat – went about their chores on the streets of New Delhi and even had a light sparring session with other grapplers on the road. Though it’s not ideal, the wrestlers felt this was the best for them. 

The words of Rio medallist Sakshi echoed the sentiments of the wrestlers, who had been saying that when they win medals they are garlanded and when they protest no one hears them.

“PM Modi sir talks about ‘Beti Bachao’ and ‘Beti Padhao’, and listens to everyone’s ‘mann ki baat’. Can’t he listen to our ‘mann ki baat’? He invites us to his home when we win medals and gives us a lot of respect and calls us his daughters. Today, we appeal to him that he listens to our ‘mann ki baat’,” Sakshi said during a media interaction.

“I want to ask Smriti Irani (Union Minister) why she is silent now? It’s been four days that we are sleeping on the road, enduring mosquito bites. We are not being allowed (by Delhi Police) to prepare food and train, why are you silent? I just want to say that you come here, listen to us and support us,” added Sakshi.

“Maybe our truth is not reaching him, so we want to meet him and let him know our issues.”

Away from the courtroom, the wrestlers had visitors from political and pressure groups too. Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik visited the protest site and said it was a matter of shame that athletes who are honoured in the country for their success are now fighting for justice on the streets.

Vinesh said, “We don’t have the (telephone) numbers (of relevant people) by which we can reach out to him so we are appealing to PM Modi through the media to raise issues. Maybe he can then listen to our cries. Our souls are almost dead, maybe he will notice.”

Satya Pal Malik, who was the last Governor of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir, said he spoke to Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia on Tuesday night and promised to visit them at the protest site.

“When our daughters win medals and unfurl the tri-colour, at that time very shamelessly, we invite them for tea to honour them and to click pictures with them, and today they are on the road. We should drown in shame,” Malik said.

<br /> NEW DELHI/CHENNAI:  As the day broke, the protesting wrestlers had workouts at Jantar Mantar before continuing with their stir on Wednesday. The country’s top wrestlers — Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and VInesh Phogat – went about their chores on the streets of New Delhi and even had a light sparring session with other grapplers on the road. Though it’s not ideal, the wrestlers felt this was the best for them. </p> <p>The words of Rio medallist Sakshi echoed the sentiments of the wrestlers, who had been saying that when they win medals they are garlanded and when they protest no one hears them.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad843 " id="quads-ad843" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="4374041191"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>“PM Modi sir talks about ‘Beti Bachao’ and ‘Beti Padhao’, and listens to everyone’s ‘mann ki baat’. Can’t he listen to our ‘mann ki baat’? He invites us to his home when we win medals and gives us a lot of respect and calls us his daughters. Today, we appeal to him that he listens to our ‘mann ki baat’,” Sakshi said during a media interaction.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });</p> <p>“I want to ask Smriti Irani (Union Minister) why she is silent now? It’s been four days that we are sleeping on the road, enduring mosquito bites. We are not being allowed (by Delhi Police) to prepare food and train, why are you silent? I just want to say that you come here, listen to us and support us,” added Sakshi.</p> <p>“Maybe our truth is not reaching him, so we want to meet him and let him know our issues.”</p> <p>Away from the courtroom, the wrestlers had visitors from political and pressure groups too. Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik visited the protest site and said it was a matter of shame that athletes who are honoured in the country for their success are now fighting for justice on the streets.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad843 " id="quads-ad843" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="4374041191"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Vinesh said, “We don’t have the (telephone) numbers (of relevant people) by which we can reach out to him so we are appealing to PM Modi through the media to raise issues. Maybe he can then listen to our cries. Our souls are almost dead, maybe he will notice.”</p> <p>Satya Pal Malik, who was the last Governor of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir, said he spoke to Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia on Tuesday night and promised to visit them at the protest site.</p> <p>“When our daughters win medals and unfurl the tri-colour, at that time very shamelessly, we invite them for tea to honour them and to click pictures with them, and today they are on the road. We should drown in shame,” Malik said.<br />