Some of India鈥檚 top female wrestlers were detained by police Sunday, in a chaotic escalation of a weeks-long protest against the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), who they accuse of sexual harassment.
Olympians Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik were among those held as they attempted to march to New Delhi鈥檚 historic center, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was inaugurating the country鈥檚 controversial new Parliament building.
According to Malik, one of India鈥檚 most celebrated female wrestlers, some protesters were peacefully marching to Parliament when scuffles broke out with police.
Officers 鈥渇orcefully dragged and detained鈥� the protesters, Malik told reporters from inside a police vehicle before being driven away. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 know where they鈥檙e taking us,鈥� said Malik, who was later released.
Senior Delhi Police officer Dependra Pathak told reporters Sunday the protesters 鈥渂roke police barricades鈥� and didn鈥檛 follow police instructions.
鈥淭hey broke the law, and that鈥檚 why they were detained,鈥� Pathak said. CNN has reached out to Delhi police to query the allegations against the wrestlers, which are reported to include rioting and disobeying a public servant.
Police also dismantled the protesters鈥� makeshift campsite in Jantar Mantar, the wrestlers said, though some protesters were still at the protest site late Sunday.
Dozens of wrestlers and their supporters have been camping at the site since last month to call for more action to be taken against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who they accuse of sexual harassment.
Singh, a powerful lawmaker and politician from India鈥檚 ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is a controversial figure who is being investigated by police for alleged sexual harassment. He attended the inauguration of the new parliament, posting a picture of himself outside the building on Facebook.
He denies all allegations of sexual harassment, and has accused the wrestlers of playing a political game, alleging opposition parties are behind the protests, without providing evidence for the claim.
After her release late Sunday, two-time Olympian Phogat said democracy was being 鈥渕urdered鈥� at Jantar Mantar, even as Modi inaugurated the new parliament building.
鈥淥n one hand the Prime Minister has inaugurated the new building of democracy. On the other hand the arrests of our people are ongoing,鈥� said the athlete, who is a member of one of India鈥檚 most well-known wrestling families.
ACCUSATIONS OF APATHY
The allegations against Singh first came to light in January, when several leading wrestlers demanded an inquiry into claims of sexual harassment by younger athletes against him.
In a letter addressed to the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and shared on Twitter, five leading wrestlers said they wanted to create a 鈥渟afe and secure place鈥� for young wrestlers, especially sportswomen.
Soon after the letter was made public, Phogat and others took to the streets, demanding Singh鈥檚 dismissal. At the time, the WFI denied the allegations but said an inquiry was underway.
India鈥檚 sports ministry said it would look into the claims and Singh was asked to step aside for a few weeks. The wrestlers stopped their protest as a result, but more than three months on, they say not enough action has been taken.
In April, following protests and intervention by the country鈥檚 Supreme Court, Delhi police registered two cases against Singh, including the alleged sexual harassment of a minor.
, Malik called out the alleged double standard of the police.
鈥淚t takes 7 days for Delhi Police to register a (case) against Brij Bhushan鈥� it didn鈥檛 even take 7 hours to register a (case) against us for peacefully protesting,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淗as dictatorship started in this country? The whole world is watching how the government is treating its players.鈥�
MODI INAUGURATES CONTROVERSIAL PARLIAMENT
While India鈥檚 top female athletes were clashing with police on the streets, Modi was inaugurating the country鈥檚 new parliament building in New Delhi, part of a $2.4 billion revamp of the capital鈥檚 historic center that his critics have called a 鈥渧anity project.鈥�
In keeping with his position as a leader who is intent on shedding any vestige of India鈥檚 colonial past, and cementing it as the 鈥渕other of democracy,鈥� Modi gave an impassioned speech from inside the building.
鈥淭his is a temple of our democracy that gives a message of India鈥檚 resolution to the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen India moves forward, the world moves forward.鈥�
But the opening had become a flashpoint in the ongoing political and cultural war between Modi and his opponents.
Last week, 19 political parties announced they would boycott the opening, taking issue with Modi鈥檚 decision to inaugurate the parliament building himself, rather than letting India鈥檚 President and head of state, Droupadi Murmu, lead the ceremony.
Some politicians have also questioned the government鈥檚 choice of inauguration date, which falls on what would have been the birthday of the late Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a leading figure in India鈥檚 Hindu-nationalist movement.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) considers him a hero, while its opponents argue that Savarkar鈥檚 ideologies discriminated against minorities.
The new triangular parliament building is part of a major overhaul of New Delhi鈥檚 colonial-era administrative center dubbed the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. Since it was announced in September 2019, the plan has drawn criticism from politicians, architects and heritage experts over the cost and timing of the works.
Many of Modi鈥檚 critics voiced support for the protesting wrestlers after news of their detention emerged.
鈥淓ven while protesting in front of the Parliament, which stands as a symbol of justice and truth, our wrestlers got mistreated & manhandled instead of justice,鈥� DK Shivakumar, the Deputy Chief Minister of India鈥檚 southern Karnataka state, .
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, general secretary of India鈥檚 opposition Congress Party, called the wrestlers鈥� detention 鈥渢otally wrong鈥� .
鈥淭he arrogance of the BJP government has increased so much that the government is mercilessly trampling the voices of our women players under their boots,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淭he whole country is watching the arrogance of the government and this injustice.鈥�
