Priyanka Gandhi Meets Sakshi Malik A Day After She 'Quits' Wrestling

Sakshi Malik announced her retirement while Bajrang Punia announced to return his Padma Sri award.

Image credit: ANI

New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Friday visited wrestler Sakshi Malik a day after she announced that she was quitting wrestling after former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's aide Sanjay Singh was elected president of the federation.

Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik, a prominent figure in the wrestling protest against former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh amid sexual harassment allegations, declared her retirement from wrestling on Thursday after the election of Singh's associate Sanjay Singh as the new federation president.

#WATCH | Wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia met Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today in Delhi.

(Source: Priyanka Gandhi's office) pic.twitter.com/ooDGzse0ZX

— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2023

The Congress leader also met wrestler Bajrang Punia who wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announcing about return of his Padma Shri award.  "I am returning my Padma Shri award to the Prime Minister. All I have to say is in this letter; this is my statement," wrote Punia on X (formerly Twitter).

After coming out of the meeting with the wrestlers, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi spoke to reporters and said, "I came here as a woman because I think what has happened to these girls is beyond disgusting."

Accompanying Priyanka Gandhi to the wrestler's residence, Congress leader Deepender Hooda conveyed that she had assured the wrestlers of her steadfast support in their pursuit of justice.

"Priyanka ji told them that Congress is with them. The whole nation is sad over the treatment our women wrestlers have got. This is unfortunate. We assured them of full support," Hooda said.