Senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday launched a fresh attack on Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, following the police action against the wrestlers and their supporters at Jantar Mantar on Sunday.
Mr. Bharadwaj said that the priorities of Delhi Police have been set by the L-G. “Police’s priority is to beat up and use force against Olympic medallist women wrestlers who are fighting for justice by protesting against [Wrestling Federation of India president] Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.”
Mr. Singh faces charges of sexually harassing some women wrestlers and two FIRs have been registered against him, including one under Section 10 (punishment for aggravated sexual assault) of the POCSO Act. While he continues to deny the charges, the wrestlers have been demanding his arrest.
Over a hundred people, including star grapplers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, were on Sunday detained at Jantar Mantar, after they planned to march towards the new Parliament building during its inauguration to hold a ‘mahila mahapanchayat’.
The police released the wrestlers later that day, but filed an FIR against them for organising the protest.
They also dismantled tents, took away the protesters’ belongings including cots, mattresses and fans and cleared the site where the protest had been going on since April 23.
Mr. Bharadwaj asked the L-G why the case against Mr. Singh was lodged only after the intervention by the Supreme Court whereas the FIR against the wrestlers was filed immediately.
Accused not arrested
“Those girls had to go to the apex court for a mere FIR. What action did he [the L-G] take against those who delayed filing the FIR? He should also tell why the accused has not been arrested yet. Is it because he is a BJP MP?” the AAP leader said.
Officials from the L-G’s office refused to respond to Mr. Bharadwaj’s comments.
