Wrestlers' protest highlights: World wrestling body condemns athletes' detention

BJP Hisar MP Brijendra Singh on Tuesday said he can feel the pain and helplessness of protesting wrestlers “forcing them to the brink of throwing away their lifetime of hardwork — the medals from Olympics, CWGs and Asian Games — in the Ganga.” Read more

"Let the probe happen, it is in the hands of Delhi Police. If found wrong, then arresting will also take place," WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh reacts to #WrestlersProtest in Haridwar

Following the detention of India's top wrestlers, the United World Wrestling has condemned the steps taken by the authorities to contain the a protest march long before it started. 

“The events of these last days are even more worrying that the wrestlers were arrested and temporarily detained by the police for initiating a march of protest…UWW firmly condemns the treatment and detention of the wrestlers. It expresses its disappointment over the lack of results of the investigations so far,” the international body said in a statement.

In a form of a ‘sad’ poem, Congress leader Pawan Khera expresses his affliction over wrestlers' protest. 

Bharatiya Kisan Union chief Naresh Tikait, who is also the brother of BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, arrived at Har-ki-Pauri to lend support to the protesting wrestlers.

"They (wrestlers) need to be practising on mats in stadiums but have been ill-treated and forced to sit at Jantar Mantar and now at sacred Ganga Ghat. In fact, action should be taken against Brij Bhushan. We are with truth and as farmers’ agitation had shown, sooner or later victory will be of truth," said Tikait. Read more

Bhartiya Kisan Union (Tikait) leader Rakesh Tikait on Tuesday described the medals won by country’s wrestlers as national heritage. “The medals (won by the agitating wrestlers) are a heritage of the nation, of children of India and of national flag,” he said here. Read more

"Entire Indian govt is saving one man (WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh). There will be a Khap meeting tomorrow," says Farmer leader Naresh Tikait who intervened and asked protesting wrestlers not to immerse their medals while seeking five days time.

The Delhi Police on Monday said it was forced to remove the protesting wrestlers from Jantar Mantar in Delhi—the officially designated protest site—after they violated the law “in a frenzy”despite repeated requests. The protesters disregarded rules and regulations, prompting the intervention of security forces, according to the police.

"The dharna and demonstration of the wrestling wrestlers were going on smoothly at the notified place of Jantar Mantar. Yesterday, the protesters flouted the law in a frenzy despite all requests and requests. Hence, the ongoing dharna has been called off," the deputy commissioner of police, New Delhi, tweeted in Hindi. Read more

Protesting wrestlers return from Haridwar after Farmer leader Naresh Tikait intervened and sought five days time from them.

Farmer Leader Naresh Tikait arrives in Haridwar where wrestlers have gathered to immerse their medals in river Ganga as a mark of protest against WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations. He took medals from the wrestlers and sought five-day time.

In the middle of new Parliament building inauguration on May 28, wrestlers decided to intensify their protest and march towards the new building. However, Delhi Police cracked down on the demonstrating athletes and detained top grapplers including medalists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik. They also dismantled their tents at the protest site in Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Read more

A day after some of India’s top wrestlers were evicted from Jantar Mantar and detained by Delhi Police, and the makeshift tents they were living in for the past 38 days were cleared, officers said on Monday that they would not be allowed to return to the spot. Read more

In a video statement on Monday, Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi they have not given up. She said the wrestlers were contemplating their next move even as they continued to get support from the sporting fraternity after police action against the top grapplers was unequivocally condemned by many political leaders and sports personalities.

"Police has filed FIR against us when we have not caused any damage to the public property. They were very cruel with us, one woman (wrestler) was being handled by 20 officers, you can see the videos… We want to inform our supporters, who are waiting for us at Gurdwara (in Ambala) and other places, that we spent this day devising our next strategy. We have not stepped back, the protest will continue. We will let you know our next step, keep supporting us," she said.

National president of Bharatiya Kisan Union Naresh Tikait along with other farmers' leaders left for Haridwar to meet with wrestlers and urge them to stop from throwing their medals in river Ganga.

Congress shared a video clip on Twitter in which top wrestler Sakshi Malik is seen taking her medals off the hook from walls as she, along with other athletes, decided to ‘immerse’ their medals in river Ganga.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal shared a video on Twitter where many seen surrounded the wrestlers who today reached Haridwar in a bid to immerse their medals in river Ganga. 

“The whole country is shocked. There are tears in the eyes of the whole country. Now the Prime Minister should leave his arrogance,” he wrote.

Prominent wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat have decided to throw their reverant medals in the river Ganga today as a mark to double down on their protest against the WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over alleged sexual harassment case.

Veteran cricketer Anil Kumble says he is ‘dismayed’ to learn about how wrestlers were ‘manhandled’ on May 28 ahead of a scheduled protest outside the Parliament building.

Some of India's top wrestlers demanding the arrest of their federation chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations arrived at the bank of river Ganga in Haridwar to 'immerse' their medals as a mark of protest. Read more