‘Govt shames itself’: Priyanka Chaturvedi on police detaining wrestlers

Several wrestlers have been protesting against former WFI chief, demanding his arrest for the alleged sexual harassment of several women grapplers.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Sunday hit out at the Centre over the police action against protesting wrestlers, saying that the “government shames itself”. Sharing a picture of top Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat resisting her detention and clinging on to her sister Sangeeta lying on the road, the Sena MP said that while “India's daughters are fighting for their honor, the MP (Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh) is continuing to be protected”.

File Photo: Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi (Photo by Santosh Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

Several top wrestlers have been protesting against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, demanding his arrest for the alleged sexual harassment of several women grapplers, including a minor. Seven women wrestlers have filed a police complaint against him.

Chaotic scenes unfolded in the national capital on Sunday as the Delhi police detained protesting wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia for allegedly breaching the security cordon and not following the directions issued by the law enforcement agency.

Several dramatic visuals of their detention made rounds on social media with some videos witnessing the police dragging protesting wrestlers forcefully and pushing them into police vans.

The police have also cleared the protesting site at Jantar Mantar - which is just about two kilometers from the Parliament building. Reportedly, the officials removed cots, mattresses, coolers, fans, and the tarpaulin ceiling along with other belongings of the wrestlers.

While several opposition leaders have condemned the police action, the protesting wrestlers also hit out over their detention.

Teary-eyed Vinesh said that they are being “punished for demanding justice.” “The accused is roaming free. He is being given shelter by the government and athletes who won medals for the country are now being put in jail for demanding justice for the country's daughters,” she said.

Bajrang Punia asked, “What crime have we committed?”, while Sakshi Malik - who shared a video of the police detaining the wrestlers - said, “This is how our champions are being treated. The world is watching us.”