'Sengol Bent The Very First Day': Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin Condemns Delhi Police Action Against Wrestlers

Stalin was referring to the scepter- the symbol of good governance and rulers ensuring justice for people- that was installed in the new parliament on Sunday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

File photo of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin attacked the BJP-led central government for police action against protesting wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Mallik, and Bajrang Punia, saying that the Sengol bent on the very first day when the new Parliament building was inaugurated, reported ANI.

Stalin was referring to the scepter- the symbol of good governance and rulers ensuring justice for people- that was installed in the new parliament on Sunday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"During the inauguration ceremony of the new building of the Parliament of India, it is condemnable that those who protested were dragged and arrested. This shows that the scepter was bent on the first day. Is it moral to stage anarchy on the inauguration day, ignoring the President himself and being ignored by all the opposition parties?" Stalin wrote in a tweet.

பாஜக நாடாளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர் ஒருவர் மீது மல்யுத்த வீராங்கனைகள் பாலியல் புகார் சொல்லிப் பல மாதங்கள் ஆகிவிட்டன. அவர் மீது இதுவரை அக்கட்சியின் தலைமை எந்த நடவடிக்கையும் எடுக்கவில்லை. மல்யுத்த வீராங்கனைகள் தொடர்ந்து தலைநகரில் போராடி வருகிறார்கள். இந்திய நாடாளுமன்றத்தின் புதிய கட்டடத்… https://t.co/9azP1YuSKB

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) May 28, 2023

Notably, protesting wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Mallik, and Bajrang Punia were among others who were manhandled and detained by Delhi Police on Sunday while trying to march towards the new Parliament as they wanted to hold a women's Maha Panchayat in front of the new Parliament. 

They have been seeking the removal of Wrestling Federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing female grapplers.

The Tamil Nadu CM said that it has been several months since female wrestlers filed sexual complaints against a BJP member of Parliament, Brij Bhushan Singh, however, no action has been taken against him.

"It has been several months since female wrestlers filed sexual complaints against a BJP member of Parliament. The party leadership has not taken any action against him so far. Female wrestlers continue to battle it out in the capital," tweeted Stalin.

Earlier on Sunday, chaotic scenes were witnessed at the dharna site at Jantar Mantar, barely three kilometres from the new Parliament building that was inaugurated by the prime minister, as protesters and police personnel shoved and pushed each other when the Phogat sisters, Sakshi Malik, and others tried to breach the barricades.

Immediately after the wrestlers and other protesters were pushed into buses and taken to different locations, the police personnel began clearing the protest site by removing cots, mattresses, coolers, fans and the tarpaulin ceiling along with other belongings of the wrestlers.

"The detained protesting wrestlers will not be allowed to continue with their dharna at Jantar Mantar. The entire protest venue at Jantar Mantar has been cleared," Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dependra Pathak told PTI.

The FIR has been registered under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the officer said.

Sections 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation), 147 (rioting) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the IPC and Section 3 (mischief causing damage to public property) of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act have also been invoked, he said.