Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is the latest politician to express his disappointment a day after Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha claimed that the wrestlers lacked discipline as they hit the streets to resume their protest against Wrestling Federation of Indian (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh instead of approaching them.
“Our feeling is that for sexual harassment complaints, IOA has a committee and athletes’ commission. Instead of going to the street (again), they should have come to us, but they have not at all come to IOA,” Usha told reporters after the sports body’s executive committee meeting. Asked if the IOA would reach out to the wrestlers since they are adamant that they would not leave the protest site until their demands are met, Usha shot back by saying, “Thoda toh discipline hona chahiye (there should be some discipline). Instead of coming to us they have gone straight to the streets. It’s not good for sport.”
Reacting to Usha’s comments, Tharoor on Friday tweeted, “Dear @PTUshaOfficial, it is does not become you to disparage the justified protests of your fellow sportspersons in the face of repeated & wanton sexual harassment. Their standing up for their rights does not ‘tarnish the image of the nation’. Ignoring their concerns — instead of hearing them out, investigating them & taking just action — does.”
