Wrestlers’ sit-in: Student groups demand WFI chief’s arrest, demand his arrest

New Delhi, May 3 (PTI) Expressing solidarity with the protesting wrestlers, various student groups on Wednesday staged a protest in front of Delhi University’s Arts Faculty and demanded that Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh be arrested immediately.

The students also demanded Singh’s resignation.

Some of the protesters were later detained by the police, who said they did not seek permission to hold the protest.

The wrestlers have been staging a sit-in since April 23 over allegations of sexual harassment against Singh, who is also a BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh.

They are demanding criminal action against Singh for alleged sexual harassment and intimidation of seven women wrestlers, one of whom is a minor.

An internal complaints committee must be constituted immediately to ensure that women wrestlers do not face sexual harassment in the future, the protesting students demanded.

They alleged they were manhandled and forcibly detained by the Delhi Police.

“Why are we being dragged and detained? There is absolutely no law and order left in this country. A man who harassed women wrestlers is being protected, while those raising their voice against such people are being detained. Why hasn’t Brij Bhushan Singh been arrested yet,” a protester asked while being whisked away by police personnel.

Another protesting student said, “Is this democracy? We are being detained for extending support to wrestlers. He (Singh) has been allowed to retain his post. Also, it was only after the Supreme Court’s direction that two FIRs were registered by the police against the BJP MP. However, the accused BJP MP has not been arrested so far.”

Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, who is among the wrestlers spearheading the protest at Jantar Mantar, extended support to the students.

“The girl students of Delhi University took out a march in support of the agitating women wrestlers. The one who harassed women wrestlers is roaming free but instead of catching him, the police are catching those people who are coming out in support of the women wrestlers. Agitating women wrestlers condemn this,” Malik said in a tweet in Hindi.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said the students did not take permission from the police for the protest.

“Around 1 pm, some 35 protesters from AISA, SFI, KYSS and Bhagat Singh Chatra Ekta Manch gathered outside the Arts Faculty and started shouting slogans. They were asked to disperse from there and maintain peace and tranquillity in the area,” he said.

“When they did not leave, they were peacefully removed from there… Around 30 of them have been detained. No permission was sought or any intimation tendered for the protest,” he added.

The Delhi Police registered two FIRs against Singh on Friday on the basis of complaints filed by the seven women wrestlers.