The wrestlers, who haven’t seen each other since being released from police custody, are about to think about the next step
Wrestler Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat with others during their protest march from Jantar Mantar to the new Parliament building in New Delhi on May 28, 2023. | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma
Released last night from police custody, the wrestlers are still mulling their next move even as they continue to garner support from the sporting fraternity after the police action against the top grapplers was unequivocally condemned by the personalities in politics and sports.
Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sangeeta Phogat, Sakshi Malik and several others were detained by the Delhi police on Sunday (May 28) when they tried to move towards the new Parliament building for the women’s ‘Mahapanchayat’.
Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sangeeta Phogat along with others were detained by security personnel on May 28, 2023. | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma
Disturbing videos of police action against elite wrestlers have emerged from Jantar Mantar, which will now remain out of bounds for them. The wrestlers are demanding the arrest of WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
“We will let you know as soon as possible what our next move is. We are still gathering ourselves. I was released at 11pm and Bajrang was released around midnight. We are yet to meet at a common place. We will soon discuss it,” said one of the protesting wrestlers.
The police, who have filed FIRs against the trio of Bajrang, Vinesh, Sakshi and several others for violating law and order, have made it clear that they will not allow the wrestlers to return to Jantar Mantar.
Meanwhile, India’s first individual Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra has condemned the police action against top wrestlers, saying the treatment meted out to the grapplers has left him “sleepless” and “haunted”. of gruesome images.
Unprecedented scenes of police dragging Olympic and world championship medal-winning athletes, including Sakshi, Vinesh, Punia and Sangeeta Phogat, were witnessed as the wrestlers and their supporters breached the security cordon before their march to the new Parliament building.
Police personnel detained wrestler Sangeeta Phogat during a protest march from Jantar Mantar to the New Parliament building against alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers by WFI leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh , in New Delhi on Sunday. (Photo by ANI/Amit Sharma) | Photo Credit: ANI
“Last night was sleepless, haunted by horrific images of my fellow Indian wrestlers protesting,” Bindra tweeted, even as India’s most successful footballer Sunil Chhetri and former India all-rounder also criticized the action against wrestlers. “It is time that we establish independent safeguards in sports organizations. We must ensure that when such situations occur, they are dealt with with the utmost sensitivity and respect. Every athlete deserves a safe and empowering environment,” added Bindra, the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medalist in air rifle.
India’s football captain, Sunil Chhetri, tweeted, “Why should our wrestlers be dragged without any consideration? This is not the way to treat anyone. I hope this whole situation is be properly assessed.”
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan said that a solution to the issue should be found immediately.
“I’m so sad to see the visuals of our Athletes…. Please solve this ASAP,” Pathan tweeted.
Wrestlers warned that creating chaos at the opening of the Parliament building will not be tolerated: police FIR
The protesting wrestlers ignored the police warning that creating chaos at the opening of the new Parliament building would “damage the national prestige” and they would not be tolerated but tried to march towards it, according to an FIR registered against the top grappler.
The FIR stated that at least 15 security personnel, most of them policemen, were injured in Sunday’s scuffle between them and the wrestlers who also ignored the police’s request to continue their protest at Jantar Mantar.
Sakshi Malik, an Olympic medalist, tweeted after being jailed on Sunday that “in this country, there is no dictatorship but there will be satyagraha held by female wrestlers”.
