Opinion When the nation lost its wrestling heroes
Parliament is a people’s podium. It was made inaccessible to those very wrestlers who have stood on other podiums, bringing medals and glory to a proud nation
An Olympian herself and an Arjuna Awardee in shooting, Avneet Kaur Sidhu had tweeted on May 28 after the visuals of women wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat being forcibly taken into detention by the Delhi Police went viral on social media. (Express photo by Amit Mehra) One of the greatest moments in a wrestler’s life is when she is standing on the podium. She lives and dies for the moment when her name is called out, to go and receive the medal she fought for. The podium represents the fruits of a wrestler’s labour. It brings her honour and a medal for the country she represents. The podium represents the epitome of any sportsperson’s career. An athlete endures a lot of pain and maintains incredible discipline to get there, and when she marches to the podium, the whole nation feels proud. The whole nation cheers as the tricolour is unfurled and the national anthem plays.
Far away from these podiums, some of India’s most decorated wrestlers have been protesting against Wrestling Federation of India head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, whom they have accused of sexual harassment. They have been protesting for over a month, and yet, little has happened. On May 28, supported by many social groups, the protestors had planned to march and conduct a Mahila Panchayat at the doorstep of the newly constructed Parliament house — the “podium” which represents the living document known as the Constitution, which assures rights and freedom to all citizens.
This march to Parliament was met with brutal violence by the police. The wrestlers were dragged, tackled and beaten. It was the culmination of a campaign of slander against the protesting wrestlers, run on social media and through WhatsApp groups, insulting them on the basis of the region, caste and Akhara they belong to. Why weren’t we bothered about these identities when these very wrestlers made our chests swell with pride?
How do we Indians, who have been so proud of our wrestlers’ achievements, reconcile with the fact that those who brought glory to the country were treated this way? How to read the headlines about how these champions were dragged on the streets of Delhi? Does our conscience reckon with this?
Sangeeta Phogat and Vinesh Phogat being detained by police. (Express photo by Amit Mehra)
This happened on the day the newly constructed Parliament building was being inaugurated. The wrestlers, who had represented the country at international events, wanted to be heard there. The new Parliament building is supposed to embody the promises of a better future and a new India. Unfortunately, their voices and demands were not heard, let alone fulfilled. What happened will be recorded in history books, which we might not even see in this new nation.
Historically, all panchayats were an exclusively male domain. Women were not allowed even to view their proceedings. Even in democratically-elected panchayats, women are often represented by their husbands or closest male relative. The calling of a Mahila Panchayat was, therefore, historic. It had the potential to bring to light the issues that the wrestlers have raised, and of representation and gender in general. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a failed opportunity.
The wrestlers are national icons accustomed to being cheered and celebrated for their achievements. They had the status of esteemed citizens of India. When wrestlers prepare for a bout, they do so on wrestling mats. To be tackled on the streets, after having won medals for the nation, must have shocked them to the core. These are not seasoned protesters. They came out on the street for a cause, and met the same fate as regular citizens do when they are protesting for their rights — whether because of displacement, caste atrocities, low wages or unequal citizenship. There are numerous examples from the recent past where the state machinery cracked down on protesters. The wrestlers must have felt the same pain, anxiety and anger that countless other helpless protesters have, as their demands lurched in the darkness of uncertainty.
Our Parliament is a people’s podium, where their interests are represented by a democratically elected body. Unfortunately, this podium was made inaccessible to those very wrestlers who had stood on other podiums, bringing medals and glory to a proud nation. The detainment of the wrestlers on May 28 by the police will send a strong message to thousands of those who may wish to do the same. They may have heard Vinesh Phogat say as she was being taken away, “Aapko naya desh mubarak ho” (Congratulations on the new nation). In this new era, wrestling and the nation have lost their heroes.
The writer, a former wrestler, is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Delhi
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