"Don't Want Any Honour Till Sisters, Daughters Get Justice": Bajrang Punia On Taking Back Padma Shri

Olympic medalist Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia on Sunday said that he will not take back his Padma Shri award that he returned to the government until justice is given to his "sisters and daughters" fighting against sexual harassment and their perpetrators. Bajrang's tweet comes after a major decision in light of fresh protests by star wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Punia over the election of an aide of deposed Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as the new president of the wrestling federation.

However, the Union Sports Ministry on Sunday suspended the sport's premier governing body in the country along with all its office-bearers.

"We trust only in God I returned my Padma Shri award for my sisters and daughters; I returned it for their honor and I do not want any honour until they get justice. Jai Hind," tweeted Bajrang.

The decision came close on the heels of newly elected WFI president Sanjay Singh announcing the hosting of the U-15 and U-20 nationals at Nandini Nagar in the Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh by the end of the year.

Also, the Union Sports Ministry on Sunday instructed the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to form an ad-hoc committee to manage and control the affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), as per a source from the ministry.

Earlier, Olympian Sakshi Malik announced her retirement from wrestling at an emotional press briefing, claiming that the Centre went back on its word to not install an aide of Brij Bhushan as an office-bearer of the wrestling federation.

Later, voicing his misgivings over the election of Sanjay Singh as the new WFI chief, fellow Olympian Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri in protest.

The star wrestlers earlier led a