BJP's Haryana MP Brijendra Singh backs protesting wrestlers

BJP's Haryana MP Brijendra Singh on Tuesday came out in support of protesting wrestlers and said it was "very unfortunate and painful" that they were being forced to throw their medals in Ganga.

"This matter should have been resolved when they last sat in protest a few months ago. Winning these international medals (Olympics, Asian, Commonwealth, World Championships, etc) takes a lifetime of hard work, toil, perseverance, discipline. Who would want to throw away one's most prized possessions unless one feels forced to do so," Singh told ET.

"Last time we heard of such a thing was when Muhammad Ali threw his Olympic gold medal in Ohio when he faced racism," Singh, son of former Union minister Birender Singh, said. Both Brijendra and his father Birender had switched to BJP from Congress ahead of 2014 polls. They had also backed protesting farmers and expressed their reservations on the way their protest was handled.


Brijendra, a Jat, won 2019 Lok Sabha poll from Hisar defeating Dushyant Chautala, who later became deputy chief minister in Haryana by extending support to BJP in the state.