Wrestlers’ protest: Sengol has ‘bent’ the very first day, says Stalin

PTI, May 28, 2023, 8:53 PM IST

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday reacted sharply to the police’s detention of protesting wrestlers in Delhi and targeted the Centre over the issue, saying the ‘Sengol’ installed in the new Parliament building has ”bent” the very first day.

Stalin’s jibe at the PM Narendra Modi-led dispensation seemed to be targeted at the hype around the Sengol, as the sceptre is said to be symbolic of upright governance and the upholding of justice. It was installed in the new Parliament building on Sunday, after PM Modi inaugurated the structure in the national capital. Stalin was reacting to the Delhi Police detaining ace wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia for violation of law and order in the capital city after they breached the security cordon while trying to move towards the new Parliament building for a planned women’s ‘Mahapanchayat’. The champion wrestlers had resumed their agitation against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on April 23, demanding his arrest for the alleged sexual harassment of several women grapplers, including a minor. Posting on Twitter, Stalin said months have passed since the women wrestlers raised the allegation against the BJP MP but the saffron party leadership has not acted against Singh. ”Police detaining them after dragging them is condemnable. This shows the Sengol has bent the very first day. Is it fair that such atrocity should also happen on a day of (new Parliament building) inauguration that sidestepped the President and amid opposition boycott,” Stalin, also chief of the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, added.