WRESTLERS Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia were detained along with their supporters on Sunday when they tried to march to the new Parliament building as it was being inaugurated, with Delhi Police clearing their protest site at Jantar Mantar and saying they will not be allowed to continue their sit-in. While women detainees were released later in the evening, Opposition parties attacked the Central Government over the “manhandling” of the wrestlers, with former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi saying that with the“coronation” over, the “arrogant king is crushing the voice of the people” on the streets.

 

The champion wrestlers, who hadresumed their agitation againstWrestling Federation of India (WFI)chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh onApril 23 demanding his arrest foralleged sexual harassment of several women grapplers, had called for awomen’s ‘Mahapanchayat’ for whichthey did not have permission. Chaotic scenes were witnessed atthe protest site at Jantar Mantar, barely three kilometres from where thenew Parliament building was inaugurated by the Prime Minister, aswrestlers and police personnel shovedand pushed each other when VineshPhogat, her cousin sister Sangeeta Phogat and Sakshi Malik tried tobreach the barricades. Immediately after the wrestlers were pushed into buses and taken to different locations, the police officers began clearing the protest site by removing cots, mattresses, coolers, fans and the tarpaulinceilingalongwithotherbelongingsofthewrestlers. Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dependra Pathak claimed the protesters ignored repeatedrequestsandwarnings and “wrestled” with police personnel who tried to stop them. “Today was an important day forthe country as the new Parliament building was to be inaugurated and despite warnings they continued their protest march,” he said, adding the behaviour of the wrestlers was “highly irresponsible”.