Opposition leaders and sportspersons strongly criticized the alleged manhandling of protesting wrestlers by the Delhi Police at Jantar Mantar on Sunday. The incident took place after wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and several others were detained following scuffles between protesters and the Delhi Police when they attempted to march towards the new Parliament House for planning . ‘Mahapanchayat’ of women.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal retweeted a video shared by Malik, which shows the wrestlers being dragged into a detention van by the police after a long scuffle. He wrote, ‘This kind of behavior with the player who has brought laurels to the country is wrong and condemnable.’
Such behavior with our sportspersons who increase the honor of the country is very wrong and condemnable. https://t.co/hoKX2ewlli— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 28, 2023
In a series of tweets carrying pictures of Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat and Satyawart Kadian taken into custody by the police, Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson Swati Maliwal said, “All these sportspersons have made our country proud on many occasions. They don’t deserve this treatment. He should be released immediately!”
All these players have made our country proud on many occasions. They don’t deserve this treatment. They should be released immediately! #protest of wrestlers (6/6) — Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) May 28, 2023
Tension escalated at Jantar Mantar as Vinesh Phogat and her cousin Sangeeta Phogat attempted to breach the barricades, leading to a chaotic scene with protesters and police pushing and shoving. After the incident, the wrestlers were quickly pushed into buses and taken to an undisclosed location.
Thereafter, the police proceeded to clear the picket site, removing cots, mattresses, cooler fans, tarpaulin covers, and other belongings belonging to the wrestlers.
JMM
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren condemned the alleged assault on the protesting wrestlers, criticized the detention of the athletes and demanded their immediate release.
“On a day when the new Parliament House is dedicated to the nation, it is distressing to see such a brutal and shameful assault on India’s most revered champion wrestlers, our national pride. Their crime is to demand justice through peaceful democratic protest. I strongly condemn his detention and demand his immediate release.”
TMC
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also condemned the detentions on Sunday and asserted, “Democracy is rooted in tolerance, but autocratic forces thrive on intolerance and suppressing dissent”.
“Strongly condemn the way Delhi Police manhandled Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and other wrestlers. It is shameful that our champions are treated like this. Democracy is rooted in tolerance but autocratic forces thrive on intolerance and suppression of dissent. I demand that he be released immediately by the police. I stand by my wrestlers,” Banerjee said on Twitter.
TMC MLA and former India cricketer Manoj Tiwari said: “So, this is what you call #AzadiKaAmritMahotsav? Shame! The nation is with you #wrestlers!”
TMC national spokesperson Saket Gokhale said in a tweet, “Women wrestlers protesting sexual harassment by BJP MP brutally thrashed by Delhi Police while PM Modi inaugurates new Parliament. A palatial building cannot hide the shameful state of our democracy under BJP rule.”
Women wrestlers protesting against sexual harassment by BJP MP were mercilessly thrashed by Delhi Police while PM Modi inaugurated the new Parliament. The shameful state of our democracy under the BJP rule cannot be hidden from a luxurious building. #MyWrestlersMyPride pic.twitter.com/G62F4kJcQK
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) May 28, 2023
Congress
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that democracy does not run on buildings but on the voice of the people.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the government for allegedly forcibly evicting the protesters and assaulting them. In a two-pronged attack on the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the crime of not inviting President Draupadi Murmu to the ceremony, Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi, “The right to inaugurate the new Parliament has been taken away from the President. Women players were thrashed on the streets with dictatorial force.”
Further exposing what he perceived as the lies of the BJP-RSS rulers, he said, “Three lies of the BJP-RSS rulers have now been exposed to the nation – democracy, nationalism and save the girl child.”
Remember Modi ji, democracy does not run on buildings but on the voice of the public.
Rajasthan Congress MLA and 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games discus throw gold medalist Krishna Poonia also condemned the police action. “Most shameful video of Indian sports and democracy. I condemn the way the police dragged our gold medal winning wrestlers who brought laurels to the country and I stand with my sisters in this fight for truth and justice.
CPI(M)
The CPI(M) strongly criticized the police action towards protesting wrestlers in New Delhi, saying that the Modi government may have inaugurated a new parliament building, “but on the streets, its police showed that it was indeed What do I think about democracy,” the party said in a tweet.
The party highlighted that democracy does not live only in grand buildings or grand speeches but in fundamental respect for the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.
Vinesh Phogat put up a stiff resistance as she was taken into custody, while Sangeeta Phogat clung to her cousin, who lay on the road during an intense struggle that lasted for a few dramatic minutes. Police officers forcibly dragged him, along with several other wrestlers and their supporters, into buses. The wrestlers were later taken to undisclosed locations.
Champion wrestlers on April 23 resumed their protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, demanding his arrest for allegedly sexually assaulting several female wrestlers, including a minor. Was.
As per reports, the wrestlers proceeded towards Parliament despite warnings from the police, which led to a scuffle between them and law enforcement.
The Delhi Police has registered two FIRs against Singh, one related to allegations made by a minor wrestler and registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, while the other pertains to charges of outraging the modesty of an adult. is attached to. Female wrestler.
Singh has denied the allegations leveled against him and has expressed his willingness to undergo narco analysis and polygraph test. However, he has proposed that opposing wrestlers undergo the same tests in order to find out the truth.
‘I am ready for investigation and narco test. I didn’t question any committee. Their (wrestlers) statements are constantly changing. I have faith in the investigation of the court and the Delhi Police… I will respect whatever decision the judiciary gives for me. I am ready for any decision,” he told ANI on Saturday.