E-Paper
Kejriwal backs wrestlers, then takes aim at PM: ‘Modi ji embraced the one who…?’
The wrestlers have been protesting for nearly a week demanding action against WFI chief on sexual harassment allegations levelled by seven women players.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid the ongoing protest by some of India's top wrestlers in the national capital demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment charges. Referring to the arrest of his former deputy Manish Sisodia in the alleged liquor policy scam, Kejriwal alleged that the prime minister jailed the person who provided education to the poor but embraced the man “who exploited the women athletes.”
“Modi ji put the person who taught the children of the poor in jail and embraced the person who exploited the women players?” Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi, posing it as a question.
Kejriwal also met wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and said every Indian who loves the country should stand with them in their struggle. In his address from the protest site, Kejriwal also asked people from all over the country to take leave and come to Jantar Mantar to support the wrestlers.
He repeated the protesters' claim that the electricity and water supply to the protest venue had been disconnected and supplies like food and mattresses were not allowed in.
"All these women players who have brought laurels to the country are our daughters, they must get justice. No matter how powerful the accused is, he should be given the harshest punishment," he later said in a tweet in Hindi.
The Delhi Police filed FIRs against Singh after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the force, told a Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha that a case will be registered on Friday.
The aggrieved wrestlers, however, decided to continue the protest demanding the arrest and sacking of the WFI chief from all positions, saying they don't have trust in Delhi Police.
"We don't trust Delhi police, they took six days to register an FIR. We'll see what they do. We are adamant about our stand to imprison the WFI President. I appeal to the Prime Minister of India to remove the WFI president from all his responsibilities. This is related to all the sports and I'd urge them to come out in our support and I want to stay in touch with all of them. This is when you safeguard the future of sports and athletes in the country. All the renowned sports people should come out and support us and save Indian sports. If they don't come out today, they'll never be able to safeguard India's sporting culture," star wrestler Vinesh Phogat said at the press conference on Friday.
