India: Protesting wrestlers detained amid march towards parliament building; police register case

Top Indian wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia were among those detained by the police in the national capital, Delhi, on Sunday (May 28). This comes as they tried to march to the new parliament building hours after it was inaugurated. The protest, which began at Jantar Mantar, some kilometres away from the new parliament, was later cleared by the Delhi police. 

Hours after the detention of the protesting wrestlers and others in the national capital, Delhi police registered cases against them for rioting unlawful assembly and obstructing public servants in their duty.

Why are the Indian wrestlers protesting?

This comes as top wrestlers like Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and others, have been protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI)’s chief Brij Bhushan Singh after seven female wrestlers, including a minor, complained against Singh of alleged sexual harassment and called for his arrest.

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The wrestlers have been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar since April 23 following the allegations and demanded criminal action against Bhushan who has since been stripped of all administrative powers by the sports ministry. 

What happened at Jantar Mantar on Sunday?

The protesting athletes had planned a ‘Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat’ (women’s assembly) as part of their ongoing protest. Ahead of the planned protest, ‘Mahapanchayat’, the Delhi police had ramped up security measures at the security site. The situation escalated when wrestlers, led by Vinesh Phogat and her cousin sister Sangeeta Phogat, allegedly attempted to breach the security barricades.

“They broke the barricades and didn’t follow police directions,” said senior Delhi Police officer Dependra Pathak. He added, “They broke the law, and that’s why they were detained.” Following the incident, Sakshi Malik shared a video of the police detaining her fellow wrestlers, on Twitter, and with the caption, “This is how our champions are being treated.” 

Disclaimer: Some viewers may find the visuals disturbing. Viewer discretion advised.

Images and videos from the scene show protesters and police shoving and pushing each other before officers forcefully dragged the wrestlers and pushed them into police vans. This also comes after officials reportedly announced no one is authorised to march towards the new parliament building or hold ‘Mahapanchayat’. 

After the protesting wrestlers were detained, the police officers moved to clear the protest site, which has been active for over a month at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The Delhi police were seen removing cots, mattresses, coolers, and fans, among other belongings of the protesting wrestlers, as per media reports. 

Delhi police official, Pathak, also said that the wrestlers have been detained for “violating law and order.” The officials also later informed that the protesting wrestlers had been taken to different police stations in the city.

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“We will take legal action after an inquiry in due course of time. We need to assess the entire situation. As you have seen the barricades have been broken and they moved ahead despite request and warning,” said Pathak, as per PTI.  

According to the police, 700 people were detained across Delhi, including 109 protesters at Jantar Mantar. The FIR has been registered under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), pertaining to disobedience, obstructing public servants in the discharge of public functions, assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging of his duty. 

Some of the additional charges also include Sections 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation), 147 (rioting) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the IPC and Section 3 (mischief causing damage to public property) of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, reported news agency PTI. 

Farmer leaders detained

The ‘Mahapanchayat’ was also to witness the participation of members from the Farmers’ associations from Ambala in the Indian state of Haryana, who were also stopped by the police from travelling to New Delhi’s new parliament building. Additionally, to prevent Khap Panchayat leaders and farmers from joining the protesting wrestlers, police had barricaded multiple entry points in the Indian capital. 

Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni, a farmer outfit, was also reportedly detained when he along with several peasants tried to proceed towards Delhi. 

Additionally, barricades were put up at many places along with heavy deployment of police personnel as farmers, mostly women, tried to move in groups towards the national capital, reported PTI. As per reports, many farmer leaders were detained inside their homes early on Sunday, in Haryana. 

Detentions draw condemnation 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal condemned the police detention of wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar and called the act “grossly wrong”. He took to the microblogging platform and retweeted wrestler Sakshi Malik’s video of being detained by the police and wrote, “Such treatment to the sportsperson who brought laurels to the country is grossly wrong and condemnable.” 

“On a day when the new Parliament building is dedicated to the nation, it’s distressing to witness such brutal & shameful manhandling of India’s most celebrated champion wrestlers, our national pride. Their crime – Seeking justice through peaceful democratic protests,” said Indian state Jharkhand CM. He also went on to say that he “strongly condemns” the detention of the wrestlers and called for their “immediate release.”

“Strongly condemn the way Delhi Police manhandled Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and other wrestlers. It’s shameful our champions are treated in this manner,” said West Bengal CM, Mamta Banerjee. She added, “Democracy lies in tolerance but autocratic forces thrive on intolerance and quelling of dissent. I demand they be immediately released by the police. I stand by our wrestlers.” 

India’s javelin star Neeraj Chopra retweeted Malik’s video and said, “I am pained to see this. There has to be a better way to deal with this.”   

(With inputs from agencies) 

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