Condemning the forceful detention of wrestlers and leaders of various organisations who had stood with the Olympian wrestlers who are on agitation for the past month in New Delhi, members of AIDSO, AIDYO, AIMMS, AIKKMS and AIUTUC staged a demonstration in Dharwad on Sunday.
For the last month, Indian wrestlers of international fame including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and others have been agitating in New Delhi seeking action against those accused of sexual harassment including BJP MP Brijbhushan Singh. On Sunday, various activists and organisations had called a ‘Maha Panchayat’ in New Delhi. But ahead of their protest, the Delhi police have detained AIMSS office-bearer Ritu Koushik, SUCI(C) office-bearer Rajender Singh and the AIKKMS State Secretary for Haryana Jaikiran Mondoti has been put under house arrest. Condemning the forceful detention of their leaders, the protesters held a demonstration at Vivekanand Circle in Dharwad on Sunday.
Addressing the protesters, AIMSS State Secretary Shobha S. condemned the detention in strong words and said that it was really sad that instead of arresting the person accused of sexual harassment, the police had detained those who were fighting for justice.
She said that it was highly condemnable that fights for justice were being snubbed in the most undemocratic way. “It was indeed a matter of shame that the ruling disposition, instead of standing with the female wrestlers of the country had stood with the person who faced over 40 criminal cases,” she said.
All India General Secretary of AIDYO Amarjeet Kumar said that while on one end, the Union government was inaugurating the ‘Temple of democracy’, it was trying to snub a democratic fight that was being held seeking justice for the victims of sexual harassment. “This is nothing but undeclared emergency. People should come out unitedly to fight against such heinous acts of the ruling dispositions,” he said.
AIKKMS district secretary Sharanu Gonawar, AIDSO district secretary Shashikala, AIUTUC districe vice-president Bhuvana and others who addressed the protesters demanded the immediate release of the members of various organisations who have been detained by the Delhi police.
