Wrestlers’ Protest: Neeraj Chopra calls for ‘better way’ to deal with protesting grapplers
Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra condemned the way India’s top wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik were detained on their way to the new parliament building on Sunday.
Taking to his Twitter handle, the now world no.1 men’s Javelin thrower expressed sadness at the treatment meted out to the athletes who have brought laurels to the country in the past and wondered if there was a better way to deal with the situation.
“यह देखकर मुझे बहुत दुख हो रहा है | (I feel saddened to see this) There has to be a better way to deal with this,” he tweeted.
The wrestlers, who have been protesting at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi to demand the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing seven women grapplers including a minor, had set on a march to the new parliament building, which was also inaugurated only today, for a women’s ‘Mahapanchayat’.
The police claim that the wrestlers were detained for breaching the security cordon by trying to push through the barricades at the protest site.
“They have been detained for violating law and order. We will take legal action after an inquiry in due course of time,” said Dependra Pathak, Special CP, Law and Order.
Jantar Mantar saw scenes of total chaos as police tried to get hold of wrestlers and they resisted very strongly, trying to make their way to the women’s ‘Mahapanchayat’ scheduled at the new Parliament.
The strong friction as the wrestlers resisted detention was recorded by Sakshi Malik, who shared the visuals on her Twitter handle as well.
