Wrestlers Protest at Haridwar Highlights: Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, the wrestlers who arrived in Haridwar threatening to immerse their medals into the Ganga, withdrew their decision after Naresh Tikait, a farmer leader, urged them to give the government five days. The wrestlers called off their dharna and drive away in cars from Har KI Pauri where they arrived shortly after 6 PM on Tuesday to “throw away their medals”. The development comes two days after their 38-day-long protest at Jantar Matar came to an abrupt halt as the Delhi Police removed tents following their detention over a protest march to Parliament.
Protesting wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia reached Haridwar on Tuesday, threatening to immerse their medals in the Ganga river alleging manhandling by Delhi Police personnel and being booked on charges of rioting among others. The wrestlers were sitting on a protest demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Emotional scenes played out in Haridwar as wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who had staged a 38-day sit-in protest at the Jantar Mantar demanding action against Singh, also a BJP MP, arrived at the ghats with their medals. Visuals showed Sakshi Malik breaking down amidst the crowd of supporters.
Also Read: Delhi Police detains wrestlers ahead of march to Parliament, clears protest site at Jantar Mantar
Wrestlers Protest Highlights: Wrestlers Sakshi Malik, VInita Phogat, Bajrang Punia and others are at the Ganga ghat in Haridwar where they are set to immerse their medals. Follow for LIVE Updates
The protest was called off after Naresh Tikait, farmer leader and National President of the Bhartiya Kisan Union, reached the venue, and convinced the agitating wrestlers to call off their protest.
Protesting wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia have withdrawn their decision to immerse their medals in the Ganga river. The decision apparently came after a prominent Kisan leader urged them to call off their protest and give the government five days' time.
On Tuesday, the wrestlers who have been demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said that they will throw away their medals in the Ganga as the same system that was protecting the oppressor was out to put them behind bars.
"The police and authorities are treating us like criminals when the actual wrongdoer is walking free out in the open. Our lived experiences are becoming matters of laughter on tv. So much so that there's even talk of wanting to bring changes to the POCSO act, ever so casually. We women wrestlers feel we have nothing left in this nation. We remember when we won medals at the Olympic and World level for this country. Now, we wonder why we bothered winning?"
- Hails from Gonda, marked his entry into active politics through the Ram Janmabhoomi movement
- Referred to in political circles as “dabang (fearless) or “shaktishali”, spent most of his youth in the akhadas of Ayodhya
- Six-term Lok Sabha MP, five as a BJP member, and once as Samajwadi Party candidate
- President of Wrestlers Federation of India. Accused of sexual harassment and ‘dictatorship’ by protesting wrestlers
The protesting wrestlers found support from veteran cricketer Anil Kumble. "Dismayed to hear about what transpired on the 28th of May with our wrestlers being manhandled. Anything can be resolved through proper dialogue. Hoping for a resolution at the earliest," he said.
"We don't need these medals now… The system uses us as a mask to advertise itself and then harasses us. When we speak against this, it prepares to throw us in jail," a statement shared by Bajrang Punia on Twitter read.
The wrestlers, who were on a 38-day-long protest demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, were detained on Sunday as they defied Section 144 and attempted to march to Parliament.
The protesters claimed they were tortured and manhandled while the man accused of sexual harassment remains scot-free.
Adequate police personnel have been deployed at Har Ki Pauri where the protesting wrestlers have gathered along with their supporters to immerse their medals in the Ganga river.
Visuals showed wrestlers Vinesh, Sangeeta, Bajrang and Sakshi break down as they sat at the Ganga ghat in Har Ki Pauri.
Wrestlers have reached Haridwar to immerse their medals in river Ganga as a mark of protest against WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations.
The protesting wrestlers were detained as they undertook a march to the Parliament on Sunday. The police said they were detained for breaking the law as they did not have permission from the police to undertake the march. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia, who was among the protesters, said that the system and the police were treating them as criminals while the alleged oppressor was roaming scot-free.