Just three days after a new Wrestling Federation of India was elected, it was suspended by the sports ministry with immediate effect for supposedly flouting provisions of the National Sports Code and appearing to be in complete control of past office bearers ( read Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a convicted sexual harasser and serial molester). The government has for the present asked the Indian Olympic Association to form an ad hoc body to run the affairs of the WFI. The sarkar's conciliatory moves towards agitating wrestlers follows the shock retirement of Olympic bronze medal winner Sakshi Malik and media coverage of Bajrang Punia leaving his Padma Shri award on a footpath near the PM's house to protest against the sham elections. The sports ministry's decision to suspend the WFI is a damage control measure which has everything to do with the Parliamentary polls in May 2024 and the Haryana elections in October. It is crucial for the government to win UP ( BB's turf) and Haryana where all the protesting wrestlers hail from. The government cannot afford to ruffle feathers in either of the two states. Make no mistake, there is no genuine concern for our Olympic medal winning sportspersons.
