New Delhi, May 28 (). The national capital’s Jantar Mantar wore a deserted look since Sunday afternoon, where the country’s top wrestlers have been staging a protest against the sexual harassment of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for over a month.
Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Sangeeta Phogat and Bajrang Punia along with hundreds of supporters were taken into custody for violating law and order by breaking through the security cordon as they were marching towards the new Parliament building for the planned women’s mahapanchayat. They were forcibly put in buses and kept in different police stations. Meanwhile, the police took away the mats, tents and all belongings of the wrestlers from the protest site at Jantar Mantar and threw them away. The protest site wore a deserted look due to police attempts to end the protest by force.
The Delhi Police started clearing the protest site by removing the wrestlers’ cots, mattresses, coolers, fans, tarpaulin roofs and other items.
Earlier, the wrestlers had received support from farmers, khap leaders and members of opposition parties at this protest site. Now, it stands almost empty, with only a few supporters roaming around, waiting for the next step to seek justice.
Sakshi Malik wrote on Twitter, Our movement is not over. After being released from police custody, we will resume our protest at Jantar Mantar. There will be no dictatorship in this country, but there will be more vigorous protests under the leadership of women wrestlers.
However, it seems that the Delhi Police will not allow the wrestlers to return to the protest site. A senior police officer said, the protesters will not be allowed to go back to Jantar Mantar.
Police have not responded to inquiries about the number of people detained since morning, despite repeated calls.
Ajit (58), who came from Najafgarh to support the wrestlers and reached Jantar Mantar at 5 am, said, “We are waiting for our players to return here and when they come, we will give them all help and support in their protest.” Will give
Wrestling coach Parvesh Nandal (38), who reached Jantar Mantar from Rohtak in Haryana, said, “Even if the police does not allow us to continue our protest, we will not stop our fight for justice.” The police took the protesters into custody and were quick to clear the picket site, but did not have the courage to arrest the WFI chief. Does the law apply only to those who fight for justice?
Palam khap president Surendra Solanki said, “Everyone is angry and what happened to the wrestlers today is unacceptable.” Soon a Maha Khap Panchayat will be called and thousands of people will come to Delhi, demanding justice for the wrestlers.
Asked whether the police would not allow the protesters to reach Jantar Mantar again, Solanki told that permission had not been taken for protests earlier and if the police did not allow them, they would again go to Jantar Mantar without permission. Will sit on the Mantar.
Police say tensions escalated on Sunday when Vinesh Phogat, her sister Sangeeta Phogat along with other wrestlers attempted to break through the security barricades and started towards the new Parliament building.
There was a scuffle between the protesters and the police officers and later all the wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and their supporters were detained.
Prominent Indian wrestlers like Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat have been protesting against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at Jantar Mantar since April 23. Wrestlers hoping for justice are now facing police repression.
SGK
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