Wrestler Protest: Law student moves NHRC, files complaint over the detention & brutal police action against protesting wrestlers

sabrang — Wed, 31 May 2023 12:00:36 +0000

New Delhi: A law student has filed a case with the National Human Rights Commission seeking action against Delhi Police for the “Unlawful detention and Brutal Police Action” protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar over the incident of May 28.

Law Student Aman Khan of Bikaner University mentioned in his complaint that “On May 28, several of India’s top wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, had been detained while trying to march to the new Parliament building in New Delhi as they resolved to intensify their protest demanding the arrest of their federation chief over sexual harassment allegations from a period of time”

The Complainant has stated the “Right to life and liberty & right to freedom and expression embodied as fundamental rights under Article 19 and Article 21 of the Indian Constitution and no person shall be deprived from the ambit of Article 19 and 21”

The wrestlers had been protesting at Jantar Mantar since 23rd April, 2023, Olympian Vinesh Phogat, one of the athletes leading the protest said that several sexual harassment cases have been reported in the past but Singh succeeded in either making the charges disappear or made sure the complainant did not compete again. Recently, Phogat said, she received a phone call from young female wrestlers from a state in eastern India. “They had complained to the WFI in writing about sexual harassment by a coach,” she said. “The coach was banned for 10 days but returned in seven days as head coach. This is the culture [of the WFI]. When the head himself is like that, what action will he take against others?” The protesting wrestlers have refused to share the names of the women who have complained and will not let them come forward.

On May 28, the Delhi Police also registered an FIR related to rioting and other offences over the scuffle with protesting wrestlers in the national capital. A senior police officer that a case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections pertaining to rioting, offence by a member of an unlawful assembly, obstructing public servant from discharge of duty, disobedience to an order promulgated by a public servant, causing hurt to a public servant in discharge of duty, using criminal force to stop public servant from performing duty, and under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act was registered at Parliament Street police station.

A day after the incident, the law student filed a complaint before NHRC seeking appropriate action against the unlawful detention and the brutal police action taken by the Delhi Police over the wrestler protesting and also seeking NHRC Constituted probe over the incident.

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UWW strongly condemns detention of wrestlers, warns of WFI ban if polls not held in time

sabrang — Wed, 31 May 2023 05:44:12 +0000

The United World Wrestling (UWW) on Tuesday in no uncertain terms condemned the detention of India’s top wrestlers during their protest in Jantar Mantar and threatened to suspend the national federation WFI if it fails to hold its election within the stipulated time.

The world body also said it has been keeping an eye on the protest by the wrestlers against the outgoing Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing several women.

“For several months, United World Wrestling has followed with great concern the situation in India where wrestlers are protesting over allegations of abuse and harassment by the President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI),” UWW said in a statement.

The UWW has taken due note that the WFI President has been put aside at an early stage and is currently not in charge.”

Shocking scenes of police dragging Olympic and world championships medallists, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat, were witnessed when the wrestlers and their supporters breached the security cordon during their march towards the new Parliament building for the planned women’s ‘Mahapanchayat’ on Sunday May 28. The union government went through with a show of splendour without giving any reaction or admonishment to the unlawful violent conduct of the Delhi police that is, in anyway, controlled by the union ministry of home affairs.

The wrestlers are demanding the arrest of outgoing WFI president Brij Bhushan for allegedly sexually harassing several women wrestlers, including a minor.

They had called for a women’s Mahapanchayat at the new Parliament building at a time when it was being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The day chosen for the inauguration was the birthday of Vikram Savarkar a Hindutva supremacist.

“The events of these last days are even more worrying that the wrestlers were arrested and temporarily detained by the police for initiating a march of protest. The site where they had been protesting for more than a month has also been cleared out by the authorities.

“UWW firmly condemns the treatment and detention of the wrestlers. It expresses its disappointment over the lack of results of the investigations so far. UWW urges the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations.

“As it has already done since the beginning of this situation, UWW will hold a meeting with the wrestlers to inquire about their condition and safety and reconfirm our support for a fair and just resolution of their concerns.”

The Sports Ministry had asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to form an ad-hoc committee to conduct the elections for the Executive Committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) within 45 days of its formation. So far there is a complete stalemate.

On April 27, a two-member ad-hoc committee was formed to run the day-to-day affairs of WFI and also conduct the elections. It has been 33 days since, leaving the body with just 12 days to hold the polls.

UWW said it will ban the national federation if it fails to hold the elective general assembly on time.

“Finally, UWW will request further information about the next elective general assembly from the IOA and the Ad-hoc Committee of the WFI. The 45-day deadline that was initially set to hold this elective assembly shall be respected,” it said.

“Failing to do so may lead UWW to suspend the federation, thereby forcing the athletes to compete under a neutral flag. It is reminded that UWW already took a measure in this situation by reallocating the Asian Championship planned in New Delhi earlier this year.”