Wrestlers’ Protest: Delhi Police Detains Protesters Near New Parliament; Scuffle Ensues

New Delhi: Delhi Police detained a group of wrestlers who were participating in a protest march towards the new Parliament building from their demonstration site at Jantar Mantar.

The protest site at Jantar Mantar was subsequently cleared by the police after the wrestlers and their supporters were taken into custody.

Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik’s team posted a tweet confirming her detention by the Delhi Police.

साक्षी मलिक को दिल्ली पुलिस ने हिरासत में लिया – Tweet by Team pic.twitter.com/GNYswmmU8F

— Sakshee Malikkh (@SakshiMalik) May 28, 2023

Videos and reports captured a scuffle between the protesters and police officers as the former resisted detainment. Among the visuals, female police officers were seen forcefully removing a woman from the protest site.

The wrestlers, who had organized a “Mahila Mahapanchayat” (Women’s Gathering) roughly two kilometers away from the parliament building, insisted on proceeding with their demonstration, emphasizing their fight for self-respect.

Wrestler Bajrang Punia urged the administration to release the detained individuals and expressed disappointment that while the new Parliament building was being inaugurated, democracy seemed to be undermined in the country.

Police, however, maintained that permission had not been granted for the “Mahila Mahapanchayat” and vowed not to allow any protesters near the new building during its inauguration.

Sakshi Malik took to social media to seek international support for the protesting wrestlers, highlighting the arrest of their supporters while the Prime Minister inaugurated the new Parliament building. Vinesh Phogat echoed these sentiments, expressing concern over the open suppression of democracy at Jantar Mantar.

To all my international fraternity

Our Prime Minister is inaugurating our new parliament

But on the other hand, Our supporters has been arrested for supporting us.

By arresting people how we can call us “mother of democracy”

India’s daughters are in pain.

— Sakshee Malikkh (@SakshiMalik) May 28, 2023

The detention of protesting wrestlers by the Delhi Police, along with the clearing of the protest site at Jantar Mantar, has drawn attention to the ongoing tensions between the demonstrators and law enforcement.

The wrestlers, supported by Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, continue to advocate for their cause, decrying the alleged infringement on democracy in the country.

जंतर मंतर पर सरेआम लोकतंत्र की हत्या हो रही

एक तरफ़ लोकतंत्र के नये भवन का उद्घाटन किया है प्रधानमंत्री जी ने

दूसरी तरफ़ हमारे लोगों की गिरफ़्तारियाँ चालू हैं. pic.twitter.com/ry5Wv9xn5A

— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) May 28, 2023