Christian women condemn police “brutality” against protesting wrestlers

By Jose Kavi

New Delhi, May 30, 2023: The Indian Christian Women’s Movement (ICWM) has condemned police action against women wrestlers in New Delhi.

The movement has termed as “brutal and criminal” the federal government’s attempt to foil a program the Mahila Maha Panchayat (grand council of women) planned in front of the new parliament house building in support of the wrestlers.

“No more silence in the face of government-sanctioned police brutality against protesting women wrestlers,” asserts a May 29 statement from the movement that has members from several Christian denominations.

The movement condemns the state-initiated misuse of the powers of the police that silenced citizens’ voices under the pretext of maintaining law and order.

The Delhi Police that function under the federal Home Ministry on May 28 detained wrestlers as they marched to the new parliament building that was being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The police also cleared Jantar Mantar, the popular site for public protest, just 2km north of the parliament building, where the wrestlers had camped since April 23.

When the wrestlers and their supporters tried to cross security barricades and march to the new parliament building on May 28, the police detained more than 700, including Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and World Championship medalist Vinesh Phogat.

The police dragged the wrestlers, lifted them off the road and put into police vans

A day later, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Pranav Tayal said the wrestlers would not be allowed back at Jantar Mantar.

The wrestlers, on the other hand, said their protest would continue. On May 29, they reportedly saw an outpouring of support from sportspersons and Opposition parties, who condemned the police action.

On May 30, the wrestlers decided to throw their medals in the Ganges River at 6 pm in Haridwar, a pilgrimage city in Uttarakhand, some 210 km northeast of New Delhi. They have planned to intensify their protest by holding indefinite hunger strike at India Gate in New Delhi.

However, the ace wrestlers temporarily shelved their plans after the intervention of farmer leader Naresh Tikait. They have given a five-day deadline for action against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the wrestling federation chief.

The Christian women decried the police violence and arrest of the women wrestlers and activists outside parliament while their tormentor Singh attended the inauguration.

The wrestlers have accused Singh of several instances of sexual harassment spanning a decade.

The Christian women also criticized the police’s failure to arrest Singh and conduct investigations even when first information reports against him were filed. One case was filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act that demands immediate arrest of the accused.

They also condemned the lack of respect for national and international, award-winning women wrestlers, displayed by the police and other personnel entrusted by the people of the country to maintain law and order.

They blasted the silence of women Members of Parliament, especially Smriti Irani, Minister For Women And Child Development, over the atrocities committed against women.

“The Indian Parliament is not a building. It is the voice of the People of India. The inauguration of the new parliament building while the voices of the women wrestlers fighting for justice were being silenced, is therefore a travesty of what Parliament stands for,” the Christian women asserted.

They demanded immediate arrest of Singh over sexual harassment allegations and release of the arrested women wrestlers and activists.

The movement wants the women members of parliament to publicly acknowledge their failure to fulfill their responsibilities of their elected office.

Another demand is to initiate a probe into the physical and verbal violence unleashed by the police on the women wrestlers and activists, and take appropriate action against those responsible.

The Christian women commended national wrestling stars, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, for speaking up and demanding justice and showing to the world how to stand up against oppressive powers.

“By refusing to be beaten down by State machinery gone foul, they stand as beacons of hope when the constitutional right to dissent and to protest injustice, is trampled upon. We stand in solidarity with them and all those who were detained for supporting their fight for justice,” the women’s statement concludes.