Congress questions Modi's silence

The Congress on Friday questioned "PM Modi remaining silent" while many celebrated sportspersons are holding a protest at Jantar Mantar here against the alleged exploitation of some women wrestlers by the mandarins of Wrestling Federation of Indian (WFI) including its president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

"It's been more than 72 hours and this is an unprecedented event where the most decorated sports stars are sitting at Jantar Mantar and crying," Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate told reporters. "The government's silence, the PM's silence, is not only reprehensible but also raises a lot of serious questions about the government," she said.

Congress fielded two Olympians associated with the party - boxer Vijender Singh and discus thrower Krishna Poonia - at its briefing to press the issue even as it demanded immediate disbanding of WFI and a probe into the allegations.


Shrinate claimed that wrestler Vinesh Phogat had said during a first press conference in 2021 that she and her family had brought to the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the happenings in WFI .

While demanding that the WFI be disbanded, Congress functionaries also questioned the rationale for politicians heading various sports bodies.