Editor's Pick: Wrestlers detained on new Parliament inauguration day

As the new building of Parliament was being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, medal-winning wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar were dragged into buses and detained by security personnel as they tried to march to the venue to hold a women’s mahapanchayat. Vinesh Phogat, the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold in both the Commonwealth and Asian Games, and Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, were among the top wrestlers who faced action. The protesting wrestlers, who have been living in makeshift tents at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for nearly 35 days to protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who is accused of sexual harassment, were detained on May 28 by security personnel. While the women protesters, including Ms. Phogat and Ms. Malik, were released around 7.20 p.m., Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order Zone 1) Delhi, Dependra Pathak said that men would also be released later in the night. Tension prevailed at Jantar Mantar around 11.30 a.m. when the wrestlers, after addressing the media personnel, and other protesters carrying the Tiranga began to march towards the new Parliament and jumped the first set of barricading. The protesters were stopped as they tried to cross over the second barricading leading to a scuffle between them and the security personnel. Several protesters, including wrestlers Ms. Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat and Ms. Malik could be seen being dragged by women personnel as they resisted the police action. Earlier after detaining them along with hundreds of their supporters and putting them into buses following a major scuffle, the Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel also dismantled their tents and removed their belongings such as cots, mattresses, cooler fans, and the tarpaulin ceiling. Meanwhile, Mr. Singh, the BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaisarganj who the wrestlers have been demanding be arrested, was also present at the new Parliament building during the inauguration by the Prime Minister. While the inaction, the delay in releasing the report of the probe committee headed by wrestler Mary Kom, and the last three inconclusive months since the first public complaint pointed to the inhumane reaction that often trails sexual-harassment allegations, yesterday’s detention and clearing of the agitation site signalled a blow to the protesters’ democratic right to protest. India’s international medal-winning wrestlers have to train endlessly with often scarce resources; they become a subject of chest thumping by political leaders only when they bring home medals. All this happened while the inauguration of the Parliament building was being touted as a “symbol of the “aspirations” of 140-crore citizens and a vehicle that will drive India in its goal of becoming a “developed country”. To reiterate what this editorial in The Hindu said last month, “India’s medal-winning wrestlers deserve better”. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor’s Pick and more. Click here. The Hindu’s Editorials Alarming turn: On the situation in Manipur From the margins: On the success of women candidates in 2022 Civil Services Examination The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The Chief Ministers of how many states did not participate in the eighth Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog (where Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave an address) held on Saturday? 11 9 14 7 To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 29 May 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( Wrestlers detained on new Parliament inauguration day As the new building of Parliament was being [inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi]( on Sunday, medal-winning wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar were dragged into buses and [detained by security personnel]( as they tried to march to the venue to hold a women’s mahapanchayat. Vinesh Phogat, the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold in both the Commonwealth and Asian Games, and Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, were among the top wrestlers who faced action. The protesting wrestlers, who have been living in makeshift tents at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for [nearly 35 days to protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh]( who is accused of sexual harassment, were detained on May 28 by security personnel. While the women protesters, including Ms. Phogat and Ms. Malik, were released around 7.20 p.m., Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order Zone 1) Delhi, Dependra Pathak said that men would also be released later in the night. Tension prevailed at Jantar Mantar around 11.30 a.m. when the wrestlers, after addressing the media personnel, and other protesters carrying the Tiranga began to march towards the new Parliament and jumped the first set of barricading. The protesters were stopped as they tried to cross over the second barricading leading to a scuffle between them and the security personnel. Several protesters, including wrestlers Ms. Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat and Ms. Malik could be seen being dragged by women personnel as they resisted the police action. Earlier after detaining them along with hundreds of their supporters and putting them into buses following a major scuffle, the Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel also dismantled their tents and removed their belongings such as cots, mattresses, cooler fans, and the tarpaulin ceiling. Meanwhile, Mr. Singh, the BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaisarganj who the wrestlers have been demanding be arrested, was also present at the new Parliament building during the inauguration by the Prime Minister. While the inaction, the delay in releasing the report of the probe committee headed by wrestler Mary Kom, and the last three inconclusive months since the first public complaint pointed to the inhumane reaction that often trails sexual-harassment allegations, yesterday’s detention and clearing of the agitation site signalled a blow to the protesters’ democratic right to protest. India’s international medal-winning wrestlers have to train endlessly with often scarce resources; they become a subject of chest thumping by political leaders only when they bring home medals. All this happened while the inauguration of the Parliament building was being touted as a “symbol of the “aspirations” of 140-crore citizens and a vehicle that will drive India in its goal of becoming a “developed country”. To reiterate what this [editorial]( in The Hindu said last month, “India’s medal-winning wrestlers deserve better”. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor’s Pick and more. [Click here](. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Alarming turn: On the situation in Manipur]( [Arrow][From the margins: On the success of women candidates in 2022 Civil Services Examination]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The Chief Ministers of how many states did not participate in the eighth Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog (where Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave an address) held on Saturday? - 11 - 9 - 14 - 7 To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. 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