In a recent development in New Delhi, several prominent Indian wrestlers, including Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, have been accused of rioting and disorder by the police. The police used excessive force to get rid of the prominent protesters as they manhandled the athletes.
The charges were brought against them after they were arrested while participating in a march towards the newly inaugurated parliament building led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The wrestlers and their supporters were taken into custody by the police after clashes erupted in front of the parliament on Sunday. The protest had been ongoing for a month, with the athletes demanding the arrest of their federation chief over allegations of sexual harassment.
The athletes have been advocating for action against Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, who serves as the head of the Wrestling Federation of India and is a member of parliament affiliated with PM Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The protestors, over a month, have demanded Singh’s immediate arrest and sought the intervention of the Supreme Court, which directed the police to register a case against him. Singh has consistently denied the allegations of harassment made against him by several female athletes.
Sakshi Malik, who has played a prominent role in the protests, raised questions about the police’s swift action in detaining peaceful protestors and the delayed arrest of the accused.
She took to Twitter and expressed her concerns, stating, “Is this country under a dictatorship? The whole world is watching how the government is treating its players.”
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