Sports federations have become personal fiefdoms of BJP politicians, alleges Cong

The Congress on Friday alleged that sports federations have become personal fiefdoms of BJP politicians and questioned the silence of President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the “insult” of sportswoman Sakshi Malik, who quit wrestling after BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s associate became the new Wrestling Federation chief. Addressing a press conference here, Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said it is black day for Indian sports when victims of sexual exploitation fail to get justice and tears of Olympians and victims do not affect people in power. He said every tear shed by Malik and other Olympian daughters of India, and victims of sexual exploitation post the election of Singh’s aide Sanjay Singh and complete subjugation of the Indian Wrestling Federation is a black spot on sports in India. “It is a black blot on the future of India’s sports, particularly wrestling. It is a black day for Indian sports,” he said. Surjewala said India’s daughters now stand on the crossroads of history, where justice is denied to them, where fairness as also recognition of their talent has been subjugated at the altar of politics of BJP, where talent has now been suppressed purely because BJP had to promote its own Member of Parliament. “The question is, Mr. Prime Minister, is this the way that the daughters of India’s farmers, India’s women wrestlers, the daughters of India will be treated in your government,” he asked, noting that these daughters of India kept on banging at the door of Parliament for justice and went to Prime Minister of India, Home Minister of India, Sports Minister of India, and to the media.