Upset over alleged inaction against powerful BJP MP Brijbushan Sharan Singh in sexual assault case, ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat has announced her decision to return the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, country’s highest sporting honour, which she received in 2020, along with the Arjuna Award given to her earlier.

The announcement was made in a strongly worded open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi she posted on her social media account on Tuesday.

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In her letter, she asked the prime minister if wrestlers are “just meant for government ads?”

She said that the awards “have no meaning in her life now” and that “every woman wants to live life with respect”.

The World Championship medalist’s decision to return the awards came less than a week after Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik announced her retirement and Bajrang Punia left his Padma Shri on a footpath near PM Modi’s residence over the same issue.

Several women wrestlers have accused BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Kesarganj Lok Sabha constituency of sexually assaulting women wrestlers during his term as Wrestling Federation of India chief.

“Do women athletes exist only to feature on government’s advertisements… are the protesting wrestlers traitors,” Phogat, who has been an active participant in wrestlers protest against the BJP MP, said.

“Those fancy flex boards with your advertisements have become old and Sakshi, too, has now retired. The exploiter has also said his dominance will continue and has indulged in very crude sloganeering. Just spare five minutes of your life and listen to the statements given by that man in the media, you will know what all he has done… What’s more serious is that he has forced many female wrestlers to step back. This is very scary,” she said in her letter.

मैं अपना मेजर ध्यानचंद खेल रत्न और अर्जुन अवार्ड वापस कर रही हूँ। <br>
इस हालत में पहुँचाने के लिए ताकतवर का बहुत बहुत धन्यवाद pic.twitter.com/KlhJzDPu9D

— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) December 26, 2023

Refering to social media backlash the wrestlers have recieved for protesting against the ruling party MP, she said that when they won the medals entire country took pride but now labelling them as traitors.

“Sir, our medals and awards are being said to be worth Rs 15, but these medals are dearer to us than our lives. When we won medals for the country, the whole country took pride in us. Now, when we raise our voices for justice, we are being called traitors. Are we traitors, Prime Minister?” she asked.

The wrestlers said that she no more wishes to see her pictures recieving the awards after witnessing “the reality”.

“I have started feeling disgusted with my awards. When I received these awards, my mother distributed sweets in our neighbourhood. Now I want to get rid of that image of Vinesh receiving the award because that was a dream, while what is happening with us now is the reality,” she added.