Bengaluru, May 28 (IANS) Criticising the Narendra Modi-led Central government over the way it handled the wrestlers’ protest, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday wondered “what’s the need for the new Parliament building if it can’t give justice to the wrestlers who are protesting”.
“It is unfortunate to know that a few wrestlers have been detained for demanding justice,” tweeted the Chief Minister after Delhi Police on Sunday detained the protesting wrestlers who were trying to march towards the new Parliament when it was being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We as humans and Indians should stand with them and voice their concerns. They have made Indians proud by winning medals for us and we should make them feel proud to be Indians,” Siddaramaiah said.
The wrestlers who started the march from the site of the protest at Jantar Mantar were stopped by the police from proceeding towards the new Parliament. There was a scuffle when the protesters breached the security cordon.
Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia were detained by the Delhi Police.
They along with their supporters, wanted to hold ‘Mahila Mahapanchayat’ near the new Parliament building demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing women wrestlers, including a minor.
Brij Bhushan Singh is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh.
–IANS
ms/pgh
