‘Am sorry ma’am…’: After Mahua Moitra, Priyanka Chaturvedi reacts to PT Usha’s remarks on wrestlers

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday reacted to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha’s criticism of protesting wrestlers against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and said “we” collectively need to speak up for “our sportswomen”.

Usha, also a Rajya Sabha MP, on Thursday said the grapplers lacked discipline as they hit the streets to resume their protest against Singh instead of approaching them.

“Our feeling is that for sexual harassment complaints, IOA has a committee and athletes’ commission. Instead of going to the street (again), they should have come to us, but they have not at all come to IOA,” Usha told reporters after the sports body’s executive committee meeting.

Asked if the IOA would reach out to the wrestlers since they are adamant that they would not leave the protest site until their demands are met, Usha shot back by saying, “Thoda toh discipline hona chahiye (there should be some discipline). Instead of coming to us they have gone straight to the streets. It’s not good for sport.”

Reacting to Usha’s comments, Chaturvedi said the country’s image is tarnished when “we have MPs accused of sexual harassment going scot free while the victims have to struggle for justice”.

“Am sorry Ma’m we must collectively speak up for our sportswomen not accuse them of tarnishing image when they are the ones who won laurels for our country and gave us reasons to be proud!” Chaturvedi added.

India’s top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik are the three central characters in the renewed protests against WFI president, who has been accused of sexual harassment and intimidation by the grapplers.

The IOA is yet to complete its probe into the allegations while the government-formed oversight panel’s findings have not been made public as yet.

Earlier, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra slammed Usha for alleging that the wrestlers were “tarnishing India’s image”. Moitra asked whether the damaging allegations against a lawmaker of the ruling party and the Delhi Police’s refusal to register a case “makes India smell of roses.”

“Wrestlers protesting on streets tarnishing India’s image says @PTUshaOfficial” Moitra wrote on Twitter. “So ruling party MP chairing WFI for years accused of molestation & abuse of power against who @DelhiPolice refuses to lodge FIR in spite of SC order makes India smell of roses, does it?” she said, adding the hashtag ‘StopCrawling’.

Meanwhile, Vinesh, the silence of Indian cricketers and other top sportspersons over the issue.

“The entire country worships cricket but not even a single cricketer has spoken up. We aren’t saying that you speak in our favour, but at least put up a neutral message and say there should be justice for whichever party. This is what pains me… Be it cricketers, badminton players, athletics, boxing…” The Indian Express quoted the World Championship medalist as saying in an interview.