Did Modi puncture Congress' plan to mobilise wrestlers ahead of Ram Temple opening?

New Delhi: Congress general secretary (without any charge) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday deleted a “false news” posted on X that accused the centre of spreading "false news" about the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

In her tweet, Vadra alleged that WFI activities were stopped to spread confusion and shelter a BJP MP who has been accused of sexual harassment by female wrestlers.

The BJP MP happens to be Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who said he has "taken retirement" from wrestling politics after the Union Sports Ministry suspended the December 21 WFI elections.

The now-deleted tweet from Vadra:

The outcome of the elections triggered outrage among protesting wrestlers and prompted wrestler Sakshi Malik to announce her retirement from the sport and Bajrang Punia to return his Padma award.

Throughout the year and until the WFI elections, the Narendra Modi government maintained that the law would take its course in the matter, which was monitored by the Supreme Court.

Even a day before the suspension of WFI, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday refused to get embroiled in controversies involving Malik’s retirement and Punia’s returning his Padma Shri.

Then what triggered the centre to suspend WFI on the next day accusing the new body of being controlled by former office bearers and its businesses being run from the premises which was accused of sexual harassment? 

Vadra on Friday met both Malik and Punia and “assured them of support in every way in their fight for justice”. 

Congress leader Deepender Hooda accompanied the wrestlers when they went to meet Vadra.

Deepender Hooda earlier met Malik and Punia at his residence, where former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was also present.

After this meeting, Vadra and the Haryana Congress leaders were planning to make the wrestlers and farmers hit the streets again coinciding with the built-up around Ram Temple's inauguration, the government sources told NewsDrum.

Malik's tears on live television soon after the WFI elections were seen as having a big impact that could rob the BJP of attention during the Ram Temple inauguration.

Additionally, her return to the streets along with other women wrestlers would have punctured Modi's outreach to women voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls of 2024.

Sensing the urgency, the PM intervened swiftly and ordered the ‘sleeping’ Sports Ministry to crack down on WFI, said sources.

PM’s swift action proves that he saw the Supreme Court-mandated elections of the WFI going wrong and he cares for the athletes, the source added.