A day after wrestler Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri Award to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in protest, Virender Singh Yadav, the gold medalist at the 2005 Summer Deaflympics, declared his intention to do the same. Yadav, also known as ‘Goonga Pehalwan,’ expressed his dissent against the WFI Elections with Sanjay Singh, a close associate of Brij Bhushan Singh, as the President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
“I will also return the Padma Shri for my sister and the daughter of the country, Honorable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Sir. I am proud of your daughter and my sister SakshiMalik,” wrote Virender Singh on X.
Virender Singh Yadav was honored with the prestigious Padma Shri Award in 2021 following his earlier recognition with the Arjuna Award in 2015. Following Punia’s symbolic protest on Friday, leaving the Padma Shri Award on the footpath near the Prime Minister’s residence, Yadav announced his decision to return the award, highlighting his concerns over the recent developments in the WFI.
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Taking to Twitter to make the announcement, Virender Singh Yadav also questioned the silence of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on the matter.
“But… why…? But I would also request the top players of the country to also give their decision…@sachin_rt @Neeraj_chopra1,” he added in his post.
The wrestling community has witnessed a series of protests and resignations following Sanjay Singh’s election. Notably, Rio Olympics bronze medalist Sakshi Malik declared her retirement from wrestling in an emotional press conference on Thursday, expressing her dismay over the recent leadership change in the WFI.
In response to Bajrang Punia’s protest, the Sports Ministry stated on Friday that while Punia’s decision to return the Padma Shri Award is a personal one, they will make efforts to persuade him to reconsider his stance.
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