Protesting wrestlers on Tuesday, May 30 halted consigning their medals to River Ganga as a protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexually harassing women grapplers. Protesters were seen making their way to Haridwar, 200 km east of the national capital Delhi, but decided not to immerse their medals in the holy River Ganga in the evening. As things stand, the wrestlers will now go on a hunger strike to protest against the WFI chief.
Wrestlers march to Haridwar
Earlier on Tuesday, the agitating panel consisting of Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and others had insisted they will head towards the holy city in Uttarakhand while also protesting at the historic India Gate in Delhi. Wrestlers including Vinesh, Bajrang and Sakshi sat around in small circles with their medals and were seen in tears before deciding to withdraw their protest in the holy city.
Slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ were in full swing while protesters made their way to the banks of River Ganga. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait was also seen at the site and requested wrestlers not to immerse their medals in Ganga. After a lengthy conversation between the farmer leader and the wrestlers, they decided to halt the act but remained determined to continue their protest in Delhi.
The local authorities requested wrestlers to not make the holy site a place for protest and the epicentre for political debate.
Dismayed to hear about what transpired on the 28th of May with our wrestlers being manhandled. Anything can be resolved through proper dialogue. Hoping for a resolution at the earliest.
— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) May 30, 2023
Former India Test captain Anil Kumble came in support of the wrestlers on Twitter and posted, “Dismayed to hear about what transpired on the 28th of May with our wrestlers being manhandled. Anything can be resolved through proper dialogue. Hoping for a resolution at the earliest.”
What happened in Delhi?
The agitating wrestlers were not allowed to shift their sit-in to India Gate as the national monument is not a site for demonstrations and alternative places for their dharna will be suggested, police sources said on Tuesday.
The country’s top wrestlers, who were removed by the Delhi Police from their Jantar Mantar protest site on Sunday, had earlier in the day said they would immerse their medals in the Ganga and sit on a hunger strike “until death” at the India Gate.
“India Gate is not a protest site and we will not allow them (wrestlers) to protest there,” a police source said.
“They have not approached us till now with any such request. If they want to protest, they will have to submit a written communication to the DCP concerned, following which a call will be taken accordingly,” he said.
The Delhi Police will suggest alternative sites that are designated for protests, such as Ramleela Ground and Burari, the source added.
On Monday, the police said they would not be allowed to protest at Jantar Mantar.
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