'These tactics must be stopped': Haryana minister Anil Vij on athletes returning awards

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said “these tactics must be stopped” when asked about wrestler Vinesh Phogat returning her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award honours in protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections. “…These tactics of returning awards should be stopped. The players have earned these awards. Their awards cannot be taken back by whichever organisation they are issued… The awards honour our nation..," Vij said in Ambala on Wednesday (27 December). Vinesh Phogat, a two-time world championship medal winner, had returned her national honours and written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which she shared on X, formerly Twitter. She said that such honours become meaningless when wrestlers are struggling to get justice, aggravating the crisis that has gripped the sport.

#WATCH | Ambala: On wrestler Vinesh Phogat returning her Khel Ratna Award, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij says, "...These tactics of returning awards should be stopped. The players have earned these awards. Their awards cannot be taken back by whichever organisation they are… pic.twitter.com/5dDAcEOyYx

— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2023

“The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards don’t have any meaning in my life now. Every woman in this country wants to lead a dignified life. So PM sir I want to return my Dhyan Chand and Arjun award to you so that these awards don’t become a burden on us in our endeavour to lead a dignified life," the 29-year-old wrote in her letter. Her decision came days after Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri award and Deaflympics champion Virender Singh Yadav decided to do the same . Earlier, Sakshi Malik retired from the sport after Sanjay Singh's appointment as WFI president . Sanjay Singh is an associate of Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan, the outgoing WFI president and a BJP MP. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was accused of sexual harassment by Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and other wrestlers. WFI was suspended by the Sports Ministry just days after the much-delayed elections. They then instructed IOA to appoint an ad-hoc panel to oversee operations. On Wednesday, IOA appointed Bhupinder Singh Bajwa, MM Somaya and Manjusha Kanwar as the three members to run the day-to-day affairs of the WFI.