WFI president slaps over-aged wrestler after he insisted on competing in U-15 Nationals
New Delhi, Dec 18: Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh courted a controversy during the Under-15 Nationals in Ranchi when he slapped a grappler, who insisted on competing in the tournament after being disqualified for being over-aged.
The incident happened on the concluding day of the tournament on Friday when the disqualified wrestler from Uttar Pradesh went to the dias and started misbehaving with the president, who lost his cool after a while.
Interestingly, the wrestler trains at the academy which belongs to the WFI president in Gonda.
"The wrestler wanted a favour from the president that since he was from UP and also from his centre, he be allowed to compete but the president wants to root out age-related corruption from grassroots level, so he did not let him compete," WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar told PTI.
"The federation is now very strict and determined to ensure that only right-aged wrestler compete in the age-group nationals. We actually disqualified 60 to 70 over-aged wrestlers from the competition and he was one of them.
"After he started misbehaving with the president, he lost cool and slapped him," he said.
The WFI has been conducting Under-15 Nationals since 2018 and age fraud has been a major issue in the sport for long.
"If the president had allowed that boy, it would have given a wrong message that a UP wrestler was favoured. We won't allow age fraud. This boy was pestering me also but I somehow stayed patient but the president lost his cool after he started misbehaving on stage with the guests watching," he added.
#यूपी के #भाजपा सांसद ब्रजभूषण शरण सिंह ने रांची में नौजवान कुश्ती खिलाड़ी को मंच पर ही थप्पड़़ों मारे ||
— Sumit Kumar (@skphotography68) December 18, 2021
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CPI(M) rebel Kunhikrishnan hopes for 5,000-vote win in Payyanur
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): CPI(M) rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan, who contested as a UDF-backed Independent from Payyanur here, on Saturday said he was hoping to win the Assembly election by a margin of 5,000 votes.
Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after raising allegations of corruption in the party’s martyrs’ fund against sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan.
Speaking to a TV channel, Kunhikrishnan said he had announced his candidature as a mark of protest and not with expectations of victory.
However, he said the situation had changed drastically, with a strong undercurrent within CPI(M) votes favouring him.
"The undercurrent in CPI(M) votes cannot be measured. Now people are giving a response indicating victory with a margin of at least 5,000 votes," he said.
Payyanur is considered a CPI(M) stronghold, and a defeat for Madhusoodanan there would be a major setback for the party.
On political violence in Payyanur, Kunhikrishnan said he had been facing it since filing his nomination.
"The people leading this violence should think about how long they can continue it. It is the police which has to take the initiative to stop this violence as part of maintaining law and order. But the police are not intervening at the required level," he said.
Regarding his political future, Kunhikrishnan said efforts were underway to strengthen Left groups, and discussions were being held across Kerala in that regard.
"After discussing with others, a decision will be taken," he said.
Kunhikrishnan is among six former CPI(M) leaders who either exited the party or were suspended before contesting for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly elections.
Elections to the 140-seat Kerala Assembly were held on April 9, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
