Moblienews24x7 Bureau
From the shadows of the new Parliament to the blitzkrieg that manifested at Jantar Mantar. Where do the democracy survive?
Several reactions have started pouring in over the police excesses on the protesting wrestlers and the way, before the blazing cameras of the media, were manhandled, dragged and hurled into the police vans was an ugly display of uncivil way of handling the legends of the country.
What is forgotten?
That Indian wrestlers including Sakshi Mallik, Bajrang Punia, and Vineesh Phogat have been protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh in connection with the sexual harassment allegations against him.
And that is what forgotten by the power that be at the Centre, let alone the Delhi police that is tethered by wishes from the top.
No fear of court
Interestingly, the police was initially reluctant to register even an FIR against the MP, telling the Supreme Court of India that they wanted to probe the complaints first; as the wrestlers’ plea continued to be heard by the top court, two FIRs were subsequently filed.
Of course there is hardly any need to repeat the purported offences, as well as Singh’s undiluted position of power, the wrestlers as well as members of the civil society have long sought his arrest. Hence, they have been protesting for nearly a month now in the national capital.
Surprisingly, there no such noticeable reaction from the Prime Minister over the incidents nor from any BJP top brass. Except Baba Ramdev who has been quoted as saying that, Singh should be arrested.
In their FIR against the wrestlers, the police reportedly claimed that they attempted to stop the protesters because the new parliament building was being inaugurated simultaneously.
The police has no business to echo that the new Parliament building was a “ matter of pride and glory for the nation” and that should be left to political executives or the people.
The building is a pride but not the nationally and internationally acclaimed wrestlers what the Delhi police willfully chose to ignore.
The police instead counter-alleged that the protesters assaulted the police.
Sadly, on the ground what of the photographs and visuals that show large crowds of police personnel (including members of the Rapid Action Force) pulling, from all directions, at a terrified-looking Vinesh Phogat; or physically carrying an evidently helpless Sakshi Mallik?
There were bids to confuse the people and Delhi police cannot defend itself after what the pictures reveal( a brutal action as if they were criminals).
The wrestlers have been sitting in protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar since 23 April and even though political leaders and members of many communities have joined the protest across the month, there have never been any reported threats of violence or physical harm made by the wrestlers or their supporters. Even on Sunday, the wrestlers were unarmed.
Let alone section 144 of the IPC, once a Constitution bench of the apex court held that “law abiding citizens protesting for the realisation of basic human rights, cannot be restricted by orders under this section.”
Even legal experts see the entire sequence as a ploy by the police and talks about a committee just to take the wrestlers for a ride.
