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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UP: 90 Bangladeshis, including 28 children, held in Mathura for illegal stay
Mathura (UP), May 16 (PTI): As many as 90 Bangladeshi nationals, including many children, were apprehended from Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district on Friday for alleged illegal stay in India, officials said.
They were taken into custody from local brickyards at Khajpur village under the Naujheel police station limits, a senior officer said.
"Regular searches were being conducted throughout the district. During one such operation, police were searching some local brickyards when they came across Bangladeshi nationals working there," SSP Shlok Kumar said.
Giving a break-up, the officer said in all, 35 men, 27 women and 28 children have been taken into custody.
"During interrogation, all of them admitted to being Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in India. They moved to Mathura three to four months back from a neighbouring state. Police are trying to establish their links," the SSP said, adding that their job contractor and other associates are also being questioned.
The officer told PTI that police also recovered some Aadhaar cards from the Bangladeshi nationals, apparently issued on forged documents in some other state.
Further legal proceedings are underway, Kumar said.
