Wrestlers detained: ‘Desh ke champions hain atankwadi nahi,’ DCW chief Swati Maliwal slams police action

After protesting wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik were detained at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal harshly condemned the police action against the protesting grapplers on Sunday. Police also cleared the protest site’s makeshift structures.

"Ye desh ke champions hain atankwadi nahi! Sharmnak (They are the champions of the country, not terrorists! Embarrassing," Maliwalshe wrote in a series of tweets.

ये देश के चैम्पियंस हैं आतंकवादी नहीं ! शर्मनाक pic.twitter.com/jZ4L4Skxgz

— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) May 28, 2023

"This is Sakshi Malik. Olympics medalist, Padma Shri and Khel Ratna awardee. This is how she was dragged on the streets of Delhi today," Maliwal tweeted while sharing the picture of Sakshi Malik being forcefully taken into police custody.

"This is @BajrangPunia. He is also an Olympics medalist and PadmaShri, Khel Ratna awardee. He has put his entire career on risk to fight for justice for women wrestlers. He too has been dragged and detained by Delhi Police!," she wrote in another tweet while sharing the picture of Punia being detained.

Award-winning wrestlers leading the protest against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh were attempting to march towards the newly inaugurated Parliament building. Those detained included Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat. Police also removed the tents from their protest site. As per a senior police official, they were detained due to violation of law and order.

(Inputs from IANS)