Vinesh Poghat is tired of this system: Shashi Tharoor
New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor today commented on Vinesh Phogat's decision to retire from wrestling following her disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024. In a heartfelt post in Hindi on X, Tharoor stated, "This girl is tired of this system... This girl is tired of fighting."
इस सिस्टम से पक गई है ये लड़की
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 8, 2024
लड़ते-लड़ते थक गई है ये लड़की...#SorryVinesh! https://t.co/PkAGIqv1HW pic.twitter.com/59N38rT3Lx
Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement after being disqualified from the Paris Olympics for being 100 grams overweight, just hours before her match against the US' Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the 50-kg freestyle gold medal bout. She had made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal match in her category, securing at least a silver medal.
In her emotional post on X, Phogat wrote in Hindi, "Wrestling won the match against me, I lost... My courage is all broken, I don't have any strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be in your debt."
माँ कुश्ती मेरे से जीत गई मैं हार गई माफ़ करना आपका सपना मेरी हिम्मत सब टूट चुके इससे ज़्यादा ताक़त नहीं रही अब।
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) August 7, 2024
अलविदा कुश्ती 2001-2024 🙏
आप सबकी हमेशा ऋणी रहूँगी माफी 🙏🙏
Phogat, a three-time Olympian with gold medals in both the Asian and Commonwealth Games, plans to appeal her disqualification in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). She is asking for a joint Olympic silver to be awarded to her. The CAS verdict is expected today.
Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Phogat in the semifinals, replaced her in the final against Hildebrandt. Hildebrandt won the bout, and Phogat is now seeking to be a joint silver medallist with Lopez through her CAS appeal.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
BJP, TMC hail SC directions on counting of votes for West Bengal polls
Kolkata (PTI): The BJP and TMC on Saturday both hailed the SC directions on the Election Commission's circular over the deployment of central government personnel for vote counting in West Bengal.
The apex court on Saturday said no further order was necessary on the TMC's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's dismissal of its petition against the April 13 circular.
In a social media post, BJP leader Amit Malviya said, "In yet another legal setback, the Supreme Court has refused to intervene. The Trinamool Congress had approached the court challenging the exclusion of state government employees from vote-counting supervisor duties, and had sought an urgent hearing."
"The refusal to entertain this plea underscores a clear message -- attempts to influence or cast doubt over the integrity of the counting process will not find easy validation. Another day, another judicial rebuff for Mamata Banerjee," he added.
The TMC, however, claimed that the SC directions vindicated its stand.
"The issue raised before the Hon'ble Supreme Court pertained to the implementation of the said communication in a manner whereby only Central Government/Central PSU employees were being appointed as Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants for counting of votes," the party said in a statement.
The TMC said it was highlighted that such an interpretation and implementation of the communication would be contrary to the framework of a fair and balanced counting process.
"After hearing the parties, the Hon'ble Supreme Court directed that Clause 1 of the communication dated 13.04.2026, relating to the appointment of Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants, must be read along with the salient feature contained in the second page of the said communication, which provides for random selection of both State Government and Central Government employees," it said.
"The Hon'ble Supreme Court has further recorded the undertaking of Mr Dama Seshadri Naidu, learned Senior Advocate appearing for the Election Commission of India that the said communication shall be followed in its letter and spirit," it added.
The TMC said that in view of the directions, it is expected that the counting of votes shall be conducted in a fair, transparent, and balanced manner.
A special bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi said the EC can choose the counting personnel, and its April 13 circular, which provides for deployment of state government employees as well, cannot be said to be incorrect.
The poll body said the apprehensions of TMC of any wrongdoing are misplaced, as the circular very clearly states that there will be a mix of central and state government employees.
The EC assured the court that the circular would be implemented in letter and spirit, and there would be state government employees also during the counting of votes on May 4.
Polling for the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held in two phases -- April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes will be taken up on May 4.
On April 30, the Calcutta High Court dismissed the TMC's petition against the Election Commission circular, saying there was no illegality in the poll panel's decision to appoint counting supervisors and assistants from Central government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees, instead of the state government staff.
