The national heartbreak over wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification hours before her final bout at the Paris Olympics played out in both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday where an upset Opposition lashed out at the government which took refuge in the monetary support given to her for training and preparation.
While the Opposition wanted to register their views on the floor of Parliament, the government was not willing to concede to this for fear of them raking up the wrestlers’ agitation against former wrestling federation chief and former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the way police had treated Vinesh at the protest.
The Congress launched a broadside on the government by evening, alleging a conspiracy and pointing to the fact that neither the Prime Minister nor the sports minister or any other senior BJP functionary had sent congratulatory messages when Vinesh won the pre-quarterfinals, quarterfinals and semi-final.
“Vinesh did not lose in a bout but lost to a conspiracy. She has been sacrificed at the altar of sports politics,” Congress Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala said at a media conference on the turn of events in about 12 hours. “Why was she not given a couple of hours' grace period which is allowed to players in such situations?... What was the Wrestling Federation of India doing?… What was the Indian Olympic Association doing? What were the sports officials doing? What was the sports minister doing?... These questions will be asked.”
The Congress also wanted to know why the rule that allows a wrestler to plead injury under such circumstances was not used to save her silver medal at least.
In his statement in the Lok Sabha, sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the IOA had registered a strong protest with the International Olympic Committee, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to IOA president P.T. Usha and asked her to take necessary action.
Modi said in his post on X: “Vinesh, you are a champion among champions! You are India’s pride and an inspiration for each and every Indian. Today’s setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair that I am experiencing. At the same time, I know that you epitomise resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head on. Come back stronger! We are all rooting for you.”
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said: “It is unfortunate that Vinesh Phogat, India’s pride, who reached the finals after defeating world champion wrestlers, was disqualified on technical grounds. We have full hope that the Indian Olympic Association will strongly challenge this decision and provide justice to the daughter of the country. Vinesh is not one to give up, we are confident that she will come back stronger in the arena. You have always made the country proud Vinesh. Even today the whole country stands with you as your strength.”
