Tokyo Olympics champion Kawai comes out in support of protesting Indian wrestlers
New Delhi, May 26: Tokyo Olympics gold medallist and three-time world champion grappler Risako Kawai of Japan has come out in support of the protesting Indian wrestlers in their fight against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Top Indian grapplers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik have been protesting at the iconic Jantar Mantar here demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan, who has been accused of sexual harassment of seven women athletes, including a minor.
"I hope it will be an environment where Indian athletes can practice with peace of mind," Kawai wrote retweeting a BBC News video on the wrestlers' protest.
Kawai, who won the 57kg women's freestyle gold in Tokyo, is the first high-profile international wrestler to come out in support of the protesting Indian wrestlers.
Both Vinesh and Bajrang are probable medallist in this year's Asian Games in Hangzhou, China but for over a month they have not been practising, demanding justice for the alleged victims.
The Delhi Police have filed two FIRs -- one related to the complaints of a minor wrestler under the Prevention of Child Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act -- against Brij Bhushan, but a concrete step is yet to taken as the investigation is still on.
インドの選手が安心して練習できる環境になりますように🙏🏻🙏🏻 https://t.co/osbc1ZDr1b
— 川井梨紗子 risako kinjo kawai (@risako_kawai) May 25, 2023
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People taught lesson to those who were talking about changing Constitution: Pawar
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra) (PTI): NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said the country taught a lesson to those who were talking about changing the Constitution.
He was speaking at the unveiling of the Urdu translation of English book "Padmavibhushan Sharad Pawar - The great Enigma" by Sheshrao Chavan here.
The political situation in the country should change, Pawar said, adding, "We should think where we are heading. We have to see that the country does not fall in the wrong hands."
Four months ago (during the Lok Sabha election campaign), Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party colleagues made statements that were not in national interest, the NCP (SP) chief said, referring to BJP leader Ananthkumar Hegde's controversial remark that they needed 400-plus seats to amend the Constitution.
"It is a good thing that the people taught a lesson to those who talked about changing the Constitution," Pawar said.
He also hit back at Union minister Amit Shah who recently called him "ringleader of corrupt people".
"A week ago, Amit Shah said that Sharad Pawar is the ringleader of all the corrupt people in the country. Earlier, when he was in Gujarat, he used the law in the wrong manner. For that the Supreme Court externed him from Gujarat. The one who was externed by the Supreme Court is holding charge of the Union Home Ministry now," Pawar said.
Shah was discharged in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh fake encounter case in 2014.
