Mamata joins protest against ‘manhandling’ of wrestlers
Urges sports community who took part to light candles before Gostho Pal’s statue at Maidan
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hit the streets in Kolkata to protest against the recent manhandling of the wrestlers by Delhi Police after they tried to march towards the new Parliament building following its inauguration three days ago.
Holding a placard with the message “We Want Justice”, Banerjee participated in a rally which started at Hazra Road crossing in the southern part of the city and culminated at Rabindra Sadan, the cultural hub of the eastern metropolis.
Banerjee was flanked by former women footballers Kuntala Ghosh Dastidar and Shanti Mallick, ex-soccer players Alvito D’Cunha, Rahim Nabi, and Dipendu Biswas and several other sports personalities and common people. The rally commenced at around 4 pm.
“The wrestlers’ movement has been going on for a month. We are proud of the wrestlers and are in full support of their demand for the immediate arrest of the individual accused of sexual harassment. Our movement on this issue will continue in the coming days as well. It is a matter of shame that our wrestlers who brought honour to the country are facing such humiliation. Our full support and solidarity is towards them,” she said.
Banerjee urged the sports community who participated in the rally on Wednesday to light candles before the statue of Gostho Pal at Maidan on Thursday.
Just before the protest rally started, Sports minister Aroop Biswas, who organised the rally after being instructed by Banerjee on Tuesday, announced that there will be a surprise midway. When the rally reached the Bhowanipore area, the Chief Minister joined it.
Banerjee maintained that it was a matter of shame that the wrestlers even went to the bank of River Ganga to discard their medals there.
“I have spoken to them (the wrestlers). They have been manhandled in such a manner that our country’s honour has been reduced to dust. I have told them that I am extending full solidarity to their movement,” she added.
The wrestlers are demanding the arrest of the Wrestling Federation of India’s former chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who is accused of sexually harassing several women grapplers.
Banerjee on Tuesday had questioned the BJP-ruled Centre expressing her concern over why the WFI (Wrestling Federation of India) chief has not been arrested despite facing charges of physical assault.
