NEW DELHI: The police actions ahead of 'Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat' has drawn condemnation from the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), who have been supporting the wrestlers' protest.
While Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi earlier in the day denied permission to the police about turning an MCD school into a detention ground, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called the police action "wrong and condemnable."
"Highly wrong and condemnable treatment with the sportspersons who bring honor and laurels to the country," he wrote on Twitter.
In a tweet shared from her account, Oberoi said, "Permission denied. It's high time that Governance becomes sensitive to the future of this country, our children."
Delhi Police had sought permission to convert an MCD School in Kanjhawala into a temporary jail in view of wrestlers' Mahila Mahapanchayat to maintain "law and order".
Meanwhile, protesting wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia were detained along with their supporters after a scuffle broke out between protestors and police at Jantar Mantar today.
The wrestlers had planned a protest march to the new Parliament House building that was inaugurated today.
After detaining, the police cleared the protest site, where the wrestlers had resumed their agitation against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Tents were removed and mattresses were taken away by the Police.
"They have been detained for violating law and order. We will take legal action after an inquiry in due course of time," said Dependra Pathak, Special CP, Law and Order.
Ahead of the wrestlers’ protest march to the new Parliament, security was increased at Delhi borders, including Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur.
India's top wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and double World Championships medallist Vinesh Phogat have been protesting at the Jantar Mantar since April 23 demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over the allegations of sexual harassment leveled by seven women wrestlers.
As there was no arrest in the case despite two FIRs, of which one is registered on the complaint of a minor girl, the protesting wrestlers led by Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik gave a call to hold a women's panchayat outside the newly constructed Parliament building, for which farmers and members of Khap Panchayats in large numbers started entering Delhi to extend their support.
