Top wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia were detained by the Delhi Police ahead of their march toward the new Parliament building.
The protesting wrestlers could be seen being shoved and dragged into buses, sparking outrage. The wrestlers had organised a Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat as part of their ongoing protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief.
Athlete and member of the Bharatiya Janta Party Singh was accused of sexually harassing several female athletes, including a minor.
Protesting Wrestlers Arrested
The Delhi Police had increased security measures at Jantar Mantar, the protest site, ahead of the planned march.
As per reports, tensions escalated when the wrestlers, led by Vinesh Phogat attempted to breach the security barricades. Protesting wrestlers jumped over the police barricade at Jantar Mantar to continue their march towards the new Parliament building.
After the protesting wrestlers were arrested, the police officers cleared the protest site.
Videos of the incident showed a scuffle breaking out between protesters and police personnel. Female police officers can be seen forcefully dragging a protesting woman away from the protest site.
On-Ground Report
On May 4, amidst the ongoing protests at the Jantar Mantar, our reporter Priya Prakash reached the site to give us an on-ground report of the situation.
The current Indian Wrestlers’ protest against the alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers by former president of the Wrestling Federation of India, BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has become stronger as protestors have decided to continue sitting at the Jantar Mantar.
This decision comes right after the Supreme Court of India closed the proceedings on a plea seeking an FIR against MP Singh. The protesters unanimously decided to continue sitting in protest until Singh was arrested.
“What we see is shameful because the kind of treatment they are subjected to is abrupt and Instead of bestowing them with medals, they’re being dealt with violence,” said a student protestor.
It is reported that wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik faced abuse and were pushed by male police officers last evening after a physical scuffle broke out between male wrestlers and police personnel during an argument.
While the protests are going strong for all the right reasons, some sections of the cause seem to have been derailed by regional politics. What remains significant, however, is that students from across colleges, and women from different states have come to participate in the protest to stand in solidarity with the athletes and help them get justice against the atrocities they have been subjected to for years now. As we await further reporting on the situation, it’s important to note how even women who have no connection with the sport are coming forward to courageously stand up against harassment and are voicing their disappointment against the manhandling of the situation.
“I want to tell all women across the country, athletes or otherwise, to not be afraid anymore. It’s time we break our silence against such atrocities, claim our power, and, more importantly, stand up for each other.”
Image Credit: Press Trust of India
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