Ramachandra Guha, Nisha Millet and Reeth Abraham condemn sexual harassment of wrestlers
(Press Release) Bengaluru, May 28, 2023: Champion swimmer Nisha Millet and star Athlete Reeth Abraham, legendary sporstwomen of yesteryears, condemned the treatment meted out to protesting women wrestlers at Delhi, and were joined by prominent historian and author Ramachandra Guha and writers Amandeep Sandhu and Sharda Ugra in demanding justice for the wrestlers who brought Olympic fame to our country, at a solidarity event held at Freedom Park here on Sunday.
Concerned citizens joined Sports Lovers of Bengaluru, former sports journalists and about 18 civil society organisations, expressed solidarity with India’s national wrestlers fighting against sexual harassment of women sportspersons for nearly a month at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. “The brutal manner in which our Olympic stars were dragged and bundled up is a shame. They are the Nation’s pride and politicians who enter sports should develop sports and not indulge in sexual harassment. Sports is no place for such things and perpetrators should be booked immediately,” said Nisha Millet.
“We take a stand on behalf of the wrestlers who brought glory to the country and support them in demanding justice for the victims. This should not happen to any girl, leave alone sportswomen. The minute we throw out politicians everything will become alright,” said Reeth Abraham.
Well-known author Ramachandra Guha, minced no words condemning the arrests and treatment meted out the wrestlers in Delhi. “The wrestlers who brought laurels were protesting for a genuine reason and it was absolutely peaceful. But the paranoid, fearful and insecure government instead of protecting the athletes is protecting the perpetrators. It has dismantled and arrested the athletes with arrogance and its own MPs are left scot free.”
“The main demands included immediate arrest of MP and Wrestling Association president Brij Bushan Singh, putting out the inquiry report in the public domain and passing a law or ordinance to set-up Visakha committees in Sports Federations to facilitate complaints against sexual harassment,” said wildlife activist and former sports editor Joseph Hoover.
A resolution was passed and signed by 103 of the small but powerful gathering. “The same would be put online to continue the signature campaign. Conceived as a borderless congregation of concerned citizens, without any party or orgnisational affiliation, the event attracted sporting icons of Karnataka, writers, theatre personalities and public,” said an organiser.
“The BJP seeks to re-write history. But today, on their big day, a moment of great glory - their misdeeds, arrogance and apathy towards the people of the country resulted in a grand folly. They insulted some of our finest athletes. The whole country saw the hollowness of their commitment to justice and women. The way Delhi police manhandled and detained our Olympic, Commonwealth, Asiad award winning wrestlers while PM Modi was inaugurating his personal vanity project - the new Parliament, was a shame,” said Amandeep Singh eminent writer and activist.
Tara Krishnaswamy of Shakti, a social activist, Prakash Bare, an Indian theatre and film actor and Judo Olympian Najeeb Aga also spoke.
A Signed Resolution was passed
We, the concerned citizens and sports lovers of Bengaluru, express our solidarity with India’s national wrestlers who have been fighting against sexual harassment of women sportspersons and sitting in dharna for over a month at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Without any party or orgnisational affiliation, we strongly condemn the official apathy towards the agitating wrestlers and appeal for a harassment-free environment in sports in India.
We Demand
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Stop sexual harassment and provide safe space for sportspersons
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Release all the detained wrestlers and arrest sexual offenders
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Stop punitive action against protestors.
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Delhi Polls: BJP faces protest, placates MLA amid resentment over ticket distribution
New Delhi, Jan 12: Resentment surfaced in the BJP on Sunday over ticket distribution for Delhi Assembly polls, with a protest held outside its Delhi unit office and an angry outburst by the outgoing MLA from Karawal Nagar who was not included in the candidate list released a day earlier.
As MLA Mohan Singh Bisht threatened to revolt after being denied a ticket from Karawal Nagar, the party rushed to control the damage and announced his candidature from the Mustafabad seat this evening.
A group of protesters from Tughlakabad in South Delhi held a dharna at the gate of the Delhi BJP office, demanding a change in the candidate from the constituency.
"Vikram Bidhuri Tum Sangharsh Karo; Modi Se Bair Nahi, Rohtas Teri Khair Nahi," the protesters, including mostly youngsters, chanted as the party leaders tried to pacify them.
In the second list of BJP candidates for the polls declared on Saturday, Rohtas Bidhuri was fielded from the Tughlakabad seat. In 2020 Assembly polls, Vikram Bidhuri who is a relative of senior party leader Ramesh Bidhuri, lost to AAP's Sahiram by over 13,000 votes.
A similar protest was also held by some party workers outside the Delhi BJP office against Mehrauli candidate Gajainder Yadav after the announcement of the first list of candidates earlier this month.
Bisht, the senior-most BJP MLA in the outgoing Assembly elected five times from Karawal Nagar, openly expressed unhappiness over being denied the ticket to contest from his stronghold.
A senior party leader said he was pacified after a meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda.
Bisht, after getting the ticket from Mustafabad, expressed confidence that he would win the seat for the BJP.
"I met the national president and things were ironed out. I have assured that I will contest from Mustafabad and win the seat for the party," Bisht told PTI.
The MLA said he and the BJP had considerable support in Mustafabad and he has already attended two public meetings there.
The BJP won the Mustafabad seat, having a significant minority community presence, in the 2015 Assembly polls but lost it to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2020.
Earlier in the day, Bisht told PTI that the party's decision to replace him with Kapil Mishra was "wrong" and its consequences will be visible after voting on February 5.
"You have challenged the 'samaj' (his Uttarakhandi community), not Mohan Singh Bisht. The BJP will lose at least 8-10 seats because of this decision, including Karawal Nagar, Burari, Mustafabad and Gokalpuri," Bisht warned.
The BJP fielded Kapil Mishra, a Hindutva hardliner, from Karwal Nagar in North East Delhi, which was rocked by massive communal violence just after the 2020 Assembly polls.
Sources in the party claimed that there was also "deep resentment" among the Delhi BJP's Scheduled Castes Morcha leaders over being denied tickets from different constituencies including Madipur and Kondli.
A top Delhi BJP functionary stressed that there are many ticket aspirants, so it is natural for those who did not get selected to feel disappointed.
"The BJP is a disciplined party and its leaders understand this. Sooner or later, everyone will realise this and work for the victory of the party giving up their resentment," he said.
The elections to 70 Assembly seats in Delhi are scheduled on February 5. Results will be out after the counting of votes on February 8.
The BJP, out of power in Delhi since 1998, is making all-out efforts to return to power. In the 2015 and 2020 Assembly polls, the party was completely routed by the AAP, scraping through with just three and eight seats, respectively.
