On Thursday, hours after a late-night scuffle broke out between the wrestlers and Delhi Police personnel at Jantar Mantar, grappler Bajrang Punia said, “If this is how wrestlers are going to be treated, what are we expected to do with the medals? We would rather lead a normal life and return all the medals and awards to the government.”
The wrestlers have been protesting against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh since April 23 over allegations of sexual harassment. The police had registered two FIRs, including one under the POCSO Act. However, no arrests have been made in the case.
On Wednesday night, when Aam Aadmi Party MLA Somnath Bharti came to the protest site to supply foldable cots, as most of the mattresses were drenched in the rain, the police said that no permission had been sought for the same. Within minutes, a scuffle broke out and Mr. Bharti and two others were detained.
Heavy rain has lashed the Capital over the past few days, making it difficult for the protesters to lie down on the wet mattresses. “We put them out to dry, but we are forced to sleep on wet mattresses,” a wrestler had told The Hindu.
Wrestler Vinesh Phogat had addressed the media at midnight, explaining how the area is filled with water.. “The way they’ve made us suffer, I wouldn’t want any athlete to win a medal for the country,” Ms. Phogat said, breaking down.
“Is this how India’s daughters, who are protesting against a man, will be treated? Will police personnel who are drunk be allowed to abuse them?” Mr. Punia said while addressing the media on Thursday morning.
Policemen injured
Denying allegations that police personnel were inebriated and used force against the wrestlers, DCP (New Delhi) Pranav Tayal said a medical examination of the policemen was conducted and none of them were found to be intoxicated. “Five police personnel sustained injuries during the incident,” the DCP added. He said that adequate number of women officers were on duty at the protest site on Wednesday night.
The police have beefed up security and surveillance at Jantar Mantar and at Delhi borders, deploying additional manpower and increasing CCTV coverage and raising barricades to prevent the entry of farmers who were coming to support the grapplers.
The wrestlers on Thursday received support from Delhi University students and farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, who arrived at Jantar Mantar in solidarity with the protesters.
A group of farmers coming to Delhi was stopped by the city police at the Singhu border, with officials saying 24 of them were detained.
Claiming that she wasn’t allowed to meet the protesters, Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal had said that the protest site “is being converted into a cantonment”.
In response, the DCP said, “The DCW chief was briefly stopped near the protest site by an officer. She was later allowed to go inside. There are no restrictions on individual entry at Jantar Mantar.” ‘
PM should take notice’
Explaining how more political parties are joining the protest, Ms. Phogat said, “We only seek an acknowledgement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Will they talk to us?”
