Watch: Bajrang Punia leaves Padma Shri award on Kartavya Path pavement after police stops him

Olympic medal-winning wrestler Bajrang Punia was on Friday stopped by Delhi Police at Karthavya Path in Central Delhi. Bajrang was on his way to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence to return the Padma Shri award amidst the ongoing controversy involving former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The star wrestler then walked away leaving the award on the pavement. This comes after Brij Bhushan’s aide Sanjay Singh was announced as the new WFI president on Thursday.

Bajrang Punia was part of protests by wrestlers against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations against him.

“As I have said earlier we were fighting for our daughters and sisters. I could not get justice for them. Due to this, I think I do not deserve this honour. I came here, the police personnel picked up both the letter and the Padma Shri medal.

VIDEO | Wrestler @BajrangPunia stopped at Delhi’s Kartavya Path by Delhi Police officials. Earlier today, Punia announced on X that he is returning his Padma Shri award to the PM. pic.twitter.com/cQUg3gpzDK

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 22, 2023

VIDEO | “I will give the Padma Shri award to anyone who will take it to PM Modi,” says wrestler Bajrang Punia, who was stopped at Kartavya Path by Delhi Police officials.

Punia, earlier today, announced on X that he would return his Padma Shri award to the PM. pic.twitter.com/fJ4UddEvTs

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 22, 2023

VIDEO | “When I reflect on this day, these medals and awards hurt me, and I wonder why we were even given these when we fought for our daughters and sisters, and we failed. I feel that I am not suitable for this award. The federation was formed to support the players, not to… pic.twitter.com/tHoe55K5M3

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 22, 2023

Punia expressed his disappointment and alleged that the government failed to keep their promise to wrestlers made during the protest.

“We are not fighting against the government. The government failed to fulfil their promises and statements. We have already stated that Brij Bhushan is a powerful man and people who work under him are everywhere.”

बजरंग पुनिया ने अपना पद्मश्री सम्मान प्रधानमंत्री आवास के सामने फ़ुथपाथ पर रख दिया है pic.twitter.com/KFSuNgJ5Y3

— Mandeep Punia (@mandeeppunia1) December 22, 2023

Bajrang Punia earlier wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that he is returning his Padma Shri as a mark of protest over the results of the WFI elections where Sanjay Singh, an aide of former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, was elected as the president.

“I am returning my Padma Shri award to the Prime Minister. All I have to say is in this letter; this is my statement,” he said in a post on X.

Sakshi Malik, who was one of the faces of the wrestlers’ protest against former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations, on Thursday announced that she is quitting wrestling after Brij Bhushan’s aide Sanjay Singh was elected as the new president of the federation.

Sakshi, distraught and emotional, broke down as she left the venue after addressing a press conference in the national capital after announcing her retirement.

With ANI inputs