India’s world-class wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia were detained along with other protesters after a scuffle broke out between protestors and police at Jantar Mantar today, ahead of the protesting wrestlers’ ‘Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat’ at the new Parliament House building today.
In a video posted on her official Twitter account, wrestler Vinesh Phogat said that “democracy is being murdered openly”. She also said that the nation will remember how “women who were demanding their rights were suppressed while the new Parliament was being inaugurated”.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called the police actions against sportspersons who bring honour to the country ” wrong and condemnable”.
Grappler Sakshi Malik hailed the day as a sad one for Indian sports. She said in a tweet that while wrestlers are being dragged on streets, sexual harassment accused and WFI chief Brij Bhushan is sitting in the Parliament.
Wrestler Bajrang Punia said, “Does any government get the champions of their country treated like this? What crime have we committed?”
He shared pictures from the scuffle that broke out between protestors at the site and the police.
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said at Ghazipur border, ‘Today, our protest will end by 3pm. But, the protest will continue till our daughters get justice and the culprit Brij Bhushan is arrested.’
“Today, we wanted to go to Jantar Mantar and the new Parliament in protest against Brij Bhushan. He has yet not been arrested. strict and immediate action has been taken in such cases earlier, then why Brij Bhushan has not been arrested yet?” he added.
