Haryana govt should take up wrestlers' issue with Centre: Bhupinder Hooda

Chandigarh; Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday said the BJP-led Haryana government should not sit like a "mute spectator" on the wrestlers' issue and take up the matter with the Centre.

Addressing a press conference here, the former Haryana chief minister said the wrestlers have brought laurels for the country, but have not been given justice in the matter they have been raising.

"The wrestlers who have brought laurels for the country have not been given justice in the matter. The fact that these wrestlers were forced to contemplate to immerse their medals in the Ganga river is shameful for the country. These players represent the country and I too had appealed to them not to immerse their medals," Hooda said.

Asked about his family being targeted in the past by outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on the wrestlers' issue, Hooda said, "Let them say anything, but give justice to the wrestlers." "Everyone should rise above party politics to ensure that they get justice," he said, replying to another query.

To another question, the Congress leader said, "I do no talk about politics in a matter involving sportspersons. But one thing I want to say is that the Haryana government is sitting like a mute spectator in this issue." Hooda demanded that the state government, led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, take up the wrestlers' issue with the Centre.

The wrestlers had announced that they would immerse their medals in the Ganga in Haridwar on Tuesday as a mark of protest to demand action against WFI chief Singh, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP. The wrestlers have accused Singh of sexually harassing female grapplers.

The wrestlers, however, did not immerse their medals in the river after farmer leaders sought five days' time from them to resolve the issue.

"It is unfortunate the way our players are being treated. We are standing behind them," Hooda said.

He also said the Haryana Congress Legislature Party passed a resolution on Wednesday condemning the "atrocities" on the protesting wrestlers by the BJP-led government at the Centre.