West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee came on the road
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has come out in favor of the wrestlers who have opened a front against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. CM Mamta’s party Trinamool Congress (TMC) took out a foot march on the streets of Kolkata in support of the wrestlers. Mamta Banerjee also participated in this. With this march, Mamta has become the first CM to take out a march on the streets for wrestlers.
During the march, Mamta said, “The accused is not being arrested because he is a BJP leader.” It is a matter of shame for the country. They (wrestlers) went to Haridwar, but the culprit was not arrested. Our strike-demonstration will continue for the demand of arrest. We are proud of our players. We have decided to continue the protest in the coming days. We have spoken to them, our team will go there to support them. TMC will take out a candle march tomorrow demanding justice for the wrestlers.
Meanwhile, demonstrations have also started against the players who do not support the wrestlers. The Youth Congress on Wednesday put up a poster outside Sachin Tendulkar’s bungalow, expressing displeasure over not supporting wrestlers. As soon as the poster was put up, the Mumbai Police immediately swung into action and removed the poster.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has also come forward in support of the wrestlers. She has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealing to pay attention to the demands of women wrestlers. Raj Thackeray has said in the letter that the women wrestlers whom we proudly call ‘daughters of our country’. Due to whose hard work the country has won many medals in the sport of wrestling, she is pleading.
Raj Thackeray further said that women wrestlers have accused the President of Wrestling Federation of India of sexual harassment. The victims are only demanding an assurance from the government. In this fight of his, he should get justice without the pressure of any ‘Bahubali’. He further said, ‘I hope that no such work will happen again, as happened on 28 March. PM Modi will listen to them and get them justice.
Earlier on Tuesday, a step by the wrestlers had attracted the attention of the whole country. Railers had announced to shed their medals in the river Ganges after reaching Haridwar. According to the plan, the wrestlers had reached Har Ki Pauri in the evening amid a huge crowd, but farmer leader Naresh Tikait came there and took their medals and, explaining them, gave an ultimatum of 5 days to the government.
On Tuesday itself, a statement in this matter came from the biggest organization of wrestling. United World Wrestling (UWW) had said that if the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections are not held within 45 days, then WFI can be suspended for further matches. The UWW’s threat also assumes significance because if the WFI is suspended, Indian athletes will have to play all their future matches under a neutral flag. That is, no player will be able to participate in the international wrestling match with the Indian flag.
