Congress MP Shashi Tharoor today slammed the country’s Olympics body chief PT Usha for criticising the wrestlers’ public protest over alleged sexual misconduct by the wrestling body head.

Usha had said the wrestlers’ protest “amounts to indiscipline” and slammed them for not waiting for the report by a committee that is looking into the charges against Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has denied any wrongdoing.

Dear @PTUshaOfficial, it is does not become you to disparage the justified protests of your fellow sportspersons in the face of repeated & wanton sexual harassment. Their standing up for their rights does not “tarnish the image of the nation”. Ignoring their concerns — instead of…

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 28, 2023

“Dear @PTUshaOfficial, it is does not become you to disparage the justified protests of your fellow sportspersons in the face of repeated & wanton sexual harassment. Their standing up for their rights does not “tarnish the image of the nation”. Ignoring their concerns – instead of hearing them out, investigating them & taking just action – does,” the Thiruvananthapuram MP tweeted.

His remark came a day after PT Usha, a celebrated former athlete and Rajya Sabha member who heads the Indian Olympic Association, strongly criticised the wrestlers’ protest as a “negative approach”.

“The players should not have protested on the streets. They should have at least waited for the report of the committee. What they have done is not good for the game and the country. It is a negative approach,” she had said.

Her statement evoked a prompt response from among the protesting wrestlers, who said they were hurt by her comments as they were looking up to her for support. They had also written to her to act on the matter.

The wrestlers’ protest has seen political leaders making a beeline to their venue after they returned to the streets alleging no action was taken on their charges.

They had first taken to the streets in January over the alleged sexual misconduct charges, but withdrew their protest following an assurance by Sports Minister Anurag Thakur. They have also moved the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing and are set to be heard today.

The protesters include star wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia.