Mamata Banerjee condemns Delhi Police ‘manhandling Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat’

The Delhi police on Sunday detained Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia for violation of law and order after they breached the security cordon while trying to move towards the new Parliament building for a planned women’s ‘Mahapanchayat’.

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

See the tweet here

CM Mamata Banerjee joined nineteen other opposition parties to boycott the inauguration of India’s new Parliament building on Sunday, 28 May, citing the fact that President of India, Droupadi Murmu, had not been invited to the inaugural ceremony but Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conducting the inauguration. 

Chaotic scenes were witnessed at Jantar Mantar as wrestlers and police officers shoved and pushed each other when Vinesh Phogat, her cousin sister Sangeeta Phogat and Sakshi tried to breach the barricades.

Vinesh provided a strong resistance against her detention and Sangeeta clung on to her cousin sister while lying on the road as the struggle continued for a few dramatic minutes.

The police officials dragged and lifted them into buses along with several other wresters and their supporters.

The Delhi Police had beefed up security at Jantar Mantar following protesting wrestlers’ call for a ‘Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat’ before the new Parliament Building on Sunday.

A teary-eyed Vinesh, who showed maximum resistance, later said from a bus that they are being punished for demanding justice.

The agitating wrestlers, including the likes of Olympic medallists Bajranj, Sakshi and Asian Games gold winner Vinesh have been demanding the arrest of the outgoing WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who they have accused of sexually harassing several women grapplers.

The wrestlers had said that use of force by police will not deter them from going ahead with their peaceful march and the Mahapanchayat.

According to the live location shared by one of the wrestlers’ supporters from the moving bus, they were being moved towards Tikri border.

In another video shared by the wrestlers, Sakshi’s husband Satyawart Kadian and Jiternder Kinha were seen shouting slogan ‘Inqalab Jindabad’ along with several others with the Tricolour in hand as the police vehicle whisked them away.

Updated: 28 May 2023, 03:12 PM IST