A copy of a letter claimed to be written by Indian wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on behalf of the protesting wrestlers following the alleged altercation between the wrestlers and the police at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Wednesday (May 3) has gone viral on social media.
Several social media users including some ‘journalists’ have taken to Twitter to share a copy of the purported letter. Various media outlets have also reported on this purported letter claimed to be written by Bajrang Punia to HM Amit Shah.
However, the letter has turned out to be fake, as the wrestlers themselves have fact-checked the assertion and confirmed that no such letter had been written to HM Amit Shah by them. In fact, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who has been protesting with her peers at Jantar Mantar, took to Twitter on May 4, to call the letter fake.
हमारी तरफ़ से ऐसा कोई लेटर नहीं लिखा गया है 🙏
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) May 4, 2023
फेक लेटर है। https://t.co/2PrRAx6kYa
Phogat has, in fact, put out two tweets on the issue. In her first tweet posted earlier in the day, she shared a screenshot of a tweet posted by ‘journalist’ Ranvijay Singh wherein he had shared a copy of the purported letter. The ‘journalist’ captioned the tweet, in Hindi which translates to, “Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat have written a letter to HM Amit Shah, hope Amit Shah would pay heed.”
Notably, the journalist deleted his tweet after Vinesh Phogat took to Twitter to fact-check him.
In the subsequent tweet, Vinesh Phogat reconfirmed that no such letter has been written to HM Amit Shah on behalf of the protesting wrestlers.
हम खिलाड़ियों की तरफ़ से कोई लेटर किसी को नहीं लिखा गया है 🙏
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) May 4, 2023
It may be recalled that yesterday (May 3) at around 11 PM, a scuffle broke down between the protesting wrestlers and Delhi police at Jantar Mantar after police stopped AAP leader Somnath Bharti from entering the protest site to give folding cots to protesters. Soon after, this purported letter, signed by Bajrang Punia and addressed to Home Minister Amit Shah started circulating on social media.
Several users shared a copy of the letter which was dated May 4, 2023, with claims that the protesting wrestlers have written to Amit Shah after the scuffle broke out at Jantar Mantar yesterday (May 3).
Wrestlers Protest at Jantar Mantar Turns Violent Live Updates: An anonymous letter has been taking rounds of social media. People are claiming it's from the protesting wrestlers to Home Minister Amit Shah, but in the press conference Vinesh Phogat quashed such rumours saying no… pic.twitter.com/049HjP0a2H
— The Mooknayak English (@TheMooknayakEng) May 4, 2023
Thread
— সুমিত দত্ত (@EgiyeBangla2022) May 4, 2023
1.
Bajrang Punia,Sakshi Malik & Vinesh Phogat's letter to the Amit Shah.Permission has been sought to bring waterproof tents,stage, beds,sound system,mattresses & exercise equipment to #WrestlersProtest site.#BrijbhusanSharanSingh #NoVoteToBJP pic.twitter.com/r5nUUb4HSo
Several media houses, especially vernacular media houses like ABP News, India TV Hindi, Punjab Kesari, OneIndia Hindi and TV9 Bharatvarsh also reported on the purported letter which urged the Home Minister to immediately resolve the issues and meet the demands of the protesting wrestlers. The letter also spoke about the scuffle that had broken down between the protesting wrestlers and Delhi police at Jantar Mantar.
However, now the wrestlers have themselves clarified that no such letter was written to the Home Minister from their side.
PT Usha heckled by protestors, late-night scuffle with Delhi police
On May 3, at around 11 PM, a scuffle broke down between the protesting wrestlers and Delhi police at Jantar Mantar after Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including Somnath Bharti and DCW chairperson Swati Mahiwal, visited the protest site with the police detaining Somnath Bharti and AAP supporters.
Yesterday’s fiasco at Jantar Mantar started much earlier with PT Usha being heckled and manhandled by the protestors. PT Usha had visited the protest site to meet the wrestlers. A video made it to social media where she was seen being hackled by some protesters that raised concerns about her safety at the protest site. She had to escape with the help of security personnel present at the site.
Here it becomes imperative to recall that it was after the video of PT Usha being manhandled went viral, did news emerge of another scuffle at Jantar Mantar. As per Delhi Police, the entry of any outsider was banned post-evening. Reports suggest that Somnath Bharti visited the protest site to provide them with folding cots in the late hours on the instructions of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Protesters called for mass movement towards Delhi
After the alleged scuffle, Bajrang Punia said, “We’re in need of the support of the whole country; everyone must come to Delhi. Police using force against us, abusing women and doing nothing against Brijbhushan.” He called for everyone to pick up tractors and march towards Delhi. Another protester said, “Do not wait for the morning. Reach here by morning”.
Wrestlers protest
On April 23, ace wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia launched a second round of protests against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, alleging he sexually harassed hundreds of female wrestlers. The first round of protests took place in January this year. It was called off after Sports Minister Anurag Thakur formed a committee to investigate the matter.
Following the fresh wrestler’s protest, Delhi Police filed FIRs against Singh based on the complaints of seven athletes. The entry of politicians in the protests and slogans like ‘Modi teri kabar khudegi’ have raised concerns over the actual motive behind the protests.
In other news, the AAP-led Delhi government has announced that Punia will be appointed as chief sports advisor. Currently, he is an employee at Indian Railways.
