Congress slams PM Modi for not appealing to the wrestlers to not throw their medals into Ganga

Olympic medallist and Congress leader Vijender Singh says the episode is akin to legendary boxer Muhammad Ali throwing his Olympic gold medal into the Ohio river to protest racial segregation

File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament House, in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: ANI

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not making an appeal to the protesting wrestlers to not immerse their medals in the Ganga river, the Congress on Thursday claimed that the Modi government’s slogan of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao‘ (save daughters, educate daughters) has now become ‘Beti BJP ke netaon se bachao‘ (save daughters from BJP leaders).

The party’s official Twitter handle also tweeted a photo of Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani with the word ‘missing’ written on it.

Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, Rajya Sabha member and Congress leader Depender Hooda said, “These medals are their life, they represent their struggle, their families’ sacrifices and the nation’s pride. What kind of a cruel government is this? We want to ask the Prime Minister and government that why they did not even appeal, urging the wrestlers not to immerse their medals.”

“The Prime Minister and Ministers who used to queue up to get photographs with these sportspersons when they won medals, did not even issue an appeal. It sent a message that they are not only anti-sportspersons but also anti-medals,” Mr. Hooda added.

The Congress leader asked the BJP if the law doesn’t apply to Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP Lok Sabha member Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, against whom the women wrestlers have made serious allegations of molestation and sexual misconduct.

“If a girl seeks justice then getting her justice is raj dharma... When Parliament was being inaugurated, the manner in which women were dragged around, everyone saw. Why so much hate for sportspersons,” asked Mr. Hooda.

Speaking at the same press conference, Olympic medallist boxer Vijender Singh, who is now a Congress member, said the entire episode reminded one of the 1960s incident when the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, then Cassius Clay, threw his Olympic gold medal into the Ohio river to protest racial segregation in the U.S.