Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday criticised the "manhandling" of protesting women wrestlers in Delhi's Jantar Mantar as shameful. He also accused the BJP of never shying away from committing atrocities on the daughters of the country. Multiple layers of barricades have been put up around the protest site and no one is being allowed in after a scuffle broke out between the protestors and some police personnel, leading to head injuries to a couple of protesters last night.
"Such behaviour with the players of the country is shameful. 'Beti Bachao' is just hypocrisy. In fact, the BJP has never shied away from committing atrocities on the daughters of the country," Rahul Gandhi wrote in a tweet in Hindi while sharing a video of the players in which they are accusing the police of beating them up.
The wrestlers have alleged that they were manhandled by the police personnel.
Top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik on Thursday addressed a presser at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
Ready To Return Our Medals And Awards: Bajrang Punia
Vinesh Phogat alleged that the players were attacked and abused. She maintained that the accused policeman was drunk, a claim dismissed by the Delhi Police. "Were we committing a crime by bringing beds, was there a bomb? Their (Delhi Police) behaviour was very aggressive," she added.
Olympian Bajrang Punia said, "The matter is related to women, but the nation is being misled by associating it with political parties. Police are working in favour of Brij Bhushan. We are being abused after the FIR was lodged. Wrestlers are being divided on the basis of caste."
Bajrang Punia alleged that police are trying to suppress the protest to protect Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier in the day, Swati Maliwal, Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, reached Jantar Mantar to support protesting wrestlers. "I have come to meet the girls (wrestlers) again since it is my duty. Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik told us they were being tortured, and there were police officers who were drunk and misbehaved with them. I am concerned for their safety. Why is Delhi Police protecting Brij Bhushan? Why is Delhi Police not arresting him?" she asked, as quoted by news agency ANI.
Bajrang Punia said that the wrestlers were ready to return their medals and awards to the Indian government. "When the police heckle us, do they not see we are Padma awardees, how are we being treated? They are misbehaving with us under the influence of alcohol." He urged the government can rise above politics and give justice to protesting wrestlers, "the entire country will be grateful to you."
The scuffle broke out around 11 pm when the wrestlers were bringing folding beds for sleeping and the on-duty police personnel started asking questions about it. The wrestlers accused the police personnel of behaving badly with them and alleged that personnel even abused the women wrestlers.
Dismissing the accusation, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Pranav Tayal said that AAP's Somnath Bharti came to the protest site with folding beds without permission. When asked about the beds, his supporters became aggressive and tried to get the beds from a truck. Following this, a minor altercation took place following which Bharti, along with two others, was detained, the officer added.
Deputy Commissioners of all districts in Delhi have been asked to be on alert in their districts as a large number of people can reach Jantar Mantar in support of the wrestlers, the police stated, as per news agency ANI.