‘Take back our medals … we are willing to give our lives also’: Protesting wrestlers allege physical abuse from police

Hours after a late-night scuffle broke out between Delhi Police and protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, resulting in head injuries of two protesters, former Olympic medall Bajrang Punia said he was willing to return his medals and national prizes after feeling disrespected the police.
The wrestlers have been sitting on protest since April 23, demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. (Express Photo Amit Mehra)
“What’s the point of winning medals for the country when we are treated this way? Take back the medals,” he told a press conference on Thursday morning. ” Take back the government awards. When the police are behaving this way – abusing, roughing us up, and pushing us around – then they don’t remember the awards we’ve been given, the medals we have won?”
Later, Vinesh Phogat echoed the sentiment with even stronger words. “Along with the medals, we are willing to give our lives also. All we want is justice,” she said.
These statements were made hours prior to a hearing in the Supreme Court, wherein the apex court closed the proceedings in a plea that wanted an FIR filed against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brijbhushan Singh for sexual harassment and exploitation of women wrestlers, for which some of the country’s top grapplers have been out on the street for the second time in three months. The wrestlers said that they accepted the decision of the Supreme Court, but their resance was to continue until the arrest of Brijbhushan – also a BJP Lok Sabha MP from the Kaiserganj constituency in Uttar Pradesh.
“We are very grateful for what the Supreme Court has done for us. Delhi police had not even filed an FIR for six days, and they did so after the hearing in the SC. We will follow their directions, if the investigations don’t take place quickly and correctly, we have options open to us, as they said, of going to the Delhi high court or magrate court,” Vinesh said on Thursday evening.
During their short protests in January, the wrestlers did not give a platform to any political parties.
“This is not a setback to the protests at all. We always knew that the Supreme Court could only have ordered the FIR, that’s what they have done for us. The arrest must be made the police after proper investigations. For that, the protests are ongoing,” Sakshi Malik added.
Late-night drama
Thursday marked the 12th day of the protests in New Delhi, but the mood at Jantar Mantar was a sombre one. The drama from the night before – during which time the wrestlers alleged high-handedness from the Delhi Police – had muted the atmosphere. The wrestlers seemed jaded and shaken, there was heavy police deployment which led to barricading of all the roads in and around the protest site, and the supporter turnout for the wrestlers seemed lower than before.
Vinesh revealed that due to the rain at night, the wrestlers tried to bring in foldable wooden beds to sleep on, but that the police allegedly refused to let the beds enter. Vinesh also accused a male constable of misbehaving with the women protesters. She flagged the fact that, for long, there was no female police constable present.
DCW chief Swati Maliwal being detained from Jantar Mantar, late Wednesday night. (Video screengrab/ DCW Delhi/ Twitter)
“We needed to take the beds in to sleep, so when we tried to take them in, he resed, he pushed my chest and grabbed my arms trying to get us to stop. Then he turned around and abused me,” she said. In the scuffle, Bajrang’s brother-in-law Dushyant Phogat was hurt and bleeding from the head, and needed to be taken to the hospital.
Clips from the scuffle did the rounds on social media all throughout Wednesday night, one of which shows the protesters claiming a policeman is drunk. They also show Bajrang and other protesters complaining about being attacked the police, and Vinesh and Sakshi were seen crying.
“They were complaining that we don’t have permission. If we don’t, then arrest us. Open an investigation. Why are you behaving like this?” Vinesh added. “Do we not even have the right to sleep?”
Political spin
Bajrang Punia reiterated on Thursday that Brijbhushan and his supporters have been trying to politicise their protest and dract the public from the real issue of the allegations against him: “We are not fighting with any government or opposition. Our fight is only with Brijbhushan.”
Rajya Sabha MP and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President P.T. Usha with wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Sangeeta Phogat during their protest at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi, Wednesday, May 3, 2023. (PTI Photo)
During their short protests in January, the wrestlers did not give a platform to any political parties. This time around, they have allowed politicians to take the stage, but the 29-year-old said that they are welcoming all those who show support for their fight, irrespective of political background.
“We are constantly being told that some political party is supporting us. Sometimes it’s Congress, sometimes it’s Aam Aadmi Party. We have people coming from everywhere. Some of those that are here from local panchayats and others from Haryana are also from the BJP. This is about the daughters of this country, but it’s constantly being made political. The IT Cell – supporting Brijbhushan – is now active, and the police are operating on their instructions,” he added.