Renowned wrestling coach Mahavir Phogat threatens to return medals
Chandigarh(PTI): Standing in support of the protesting wrestlers, Dronacharya award-winning coach Mahavir Singh Phogat today threatened to return his medals if justice is not delivered, demanding the arrest of WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The wrestlers, including Olympic medalist duo of Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia and World Championship medalist Vinesh Phogat, have been sitting on a protest in the national capital since April 23, demanding the arrest of the Wrestling Federation of India Chief and BJP MP Singh for alleged sexual harassment of seven wrestlers, including a minor.
"I will return my medals if justice is not delivered in the case," Mahavir Phogat said. "The kind of allegations he faces, action should be taken against him and he should be arrested," Mahavir Phogat, who had joined BJP over three years ago, added.
When asked if he had talked to the government or raised the matter at party level, he said, "No there has been no talk so far."
The protesting wrestlers had also threatened return their medals and awards, including the Padma Shri, to the government after they were allegedly mistreated by the Delhi Police on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, several Khaps in Haryana have also come in support of the protesting athletes. On Thursday, many Khaps held protests including in Hisar, Bhiwani, Jind and Rohtak, expressing solidarity with the wrestlers and demanding that they should be given justice.
Notably, Mahavir Phogat is the father of wrestlers Babita and Geeta Phogat, who was detained by the police along with her husband on Thursday when she tried to meet the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar. He is also the uncle of Vinesh, who has been at the forefront of the protest.
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Suvendu Adhikari says Bangladesh should be taught a “lesson like Israel taught Gaza”
Kolkata: Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Suvendu Adhikari has sparked controversy after stating that Bangladesh should be taught a “lesson like Israel has taught Gaza.”
Adhikari made the remark while speaking to reporters outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata on Friday, December 26. “These people must be taught a lesson, just like Israel taught Gaza. Our 100 crore Hindus and the government working in the interest of Hindus must teach them a lesson just as we taught Pakistan a lesson in Operation Sindoor,” he said.
The statement came amid protests being held outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission since December 22, following the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old garment factory worker in Bangladesh. Das was killed on December 18 in the Mymensingh district, where his body was allegedly hung from a tree and set on fire in public view.
Adhikari was part of a five-member delegation that met senior officials of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission on Friday. Speaking after the meeting, he claimed that the diplomats had “no answer to most of his questions” related to the killing and the situation of minorities in Bangladesh.
Reacting to his comments, the All India Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of promoting hate and intolerance. In a post on X, the party described Adhikari’s remarks as hate speech and alleged that they amounted to a call for violence, while also questioning the absence of legal action against him.
Adhikari’s statement has added to political tensions in West Bengal and raised concerns over inflammatory rhetoric linked to sensitive international and communal issues.
The @BJP4India’s Bengal ‘face’ wants a Gaza like operation against Bangladesh. Dog whistles that the @narendramodi government is for ‘Hindus’ only. Do you concur with this @narendramodi @DrSJaishankar ? Dirty politics of Divide and Rule won’t work in Bengal, @SuvenduWB pic.twitter.com/vLWm9b3AXb
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) December 27, 2025
