On Sunday, May 28, following the detention of protesting wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia as they breached the security cordon while trying to march towards the new parliament building for a ‘Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat, the Jantar Mantra protest site has been cleared by the Delhi Police.
#WrestlerProtest: जंतर मंतर से पहलवानों का धरनास्थल दिल्ली पुलिस ने पूरी तरह से हटाया.
— Shivam Pratap Singh (@journalistspsc) May 28, 2023
टेंट,पंडाल, गद्दा, कूलर और सभी
प्रबंध हटाए गए. धरनास्थल पूरी तरह से खाली किया गया. दिल्ली पुलिस और RAF ने जंतर मंतर को छावनी में तब्दील कर दिया है.
कई #पहलवानों को हिरासत में लिया गया है. pic.twitter.com/D7nAT2WrT4
Right after the wrestlers were put into buses and transferred to undisclosed locations, police officials began removing makeshift tents placed by the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar, The police cleared the protest site by removing the wrestlers’ tents, beds, mattresses, coolers, fans, and tarpaulin ceiling, as well as other possessions.
Although no official statement has been issued, media reports suggest that the police will not allow the wrestlers to return to the protest site. The wrestlers had been advised not to approach Parliament, but they did so anyhow, resulting in the scuffle.
The wrestlers had announced that they planned to hold a women’s Maha Panchayat in front of the new Parliament as part of their protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan who has been accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers.
Meanwhile, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Rakesh Tikait and several farmers were stopped by the Delhi Police at the Ghazipur border when they attempted to enter the national capital to join the agitation called by the protesting wrestlers outside the new parliament building.
Permission for the protest has not been given to the wrestlers who have been on a sit-in at the Jantar Mantar, demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexually harassing women grapplers.
“All others (farmers) have been stopped (by the police). We will sit here for now and decide what to do next. This is police’s misbehaviour, if people are going to join the protests, you will make them sit?, Tikait, who had spearheaded the anti-farm law protests, said after being stopped by the police at the heavily fortified Ghazipur border.
Earlier Delhi Police said that “unsocial elements” won’t not be allowed to enter the national capital to ensure smooth conduct of the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building.
Additionally, Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Deependra Pathak, who was at Jantar Mantar where wrestlers have been staging a sit-in since last month, stated that the Delhi Police has made tight security arrangements across the national capital, strategic locations, and bordering areas, ensuring that law and order would be kept up. He said, “We will not allow anything to disrupt the inauguration of the new Parliament building. The entire Delhi Police is on its toes to make sure the inauguration ceremony is conducted smoothly.”
“Any attempt to cause disruption during the inauguration of the new Parliament building will be met politely and firmly.” “I politely request that our esteemed athletes refrain from doing any such thing today,” he stated.
Pathak further stated that the police will not tolerate any anti-national activities on such an important day and will handle any situation professionally.
