New Parliament unveiled amid wrestlers' protest; Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat detained
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New Delhi: Tension gripped the national capital when the Delhi police tried to restrict and detain protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar who broke the barricades and began to march towards the new parliament on Sunday.
Police detained wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat. Talking to Manorama News, Malik alleged that police manhandled her.
Amid the ongoing inaugural functions of the new parliament building the sportspersons were planning to hold a Mahila Mahapanchayat in front of the new complex. Police had denied permission to hold any such protest at the venue.
The wrestlers have been staging a protest in Delhi demanding the arrest of wrestling federation chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who they say harassed and sexually exploited women wrestlers.
Meanwhile, wrestler Vinesh Phogat raised sharp criticism against the Centre over the Delhi police's action against protesting wrestlers ahead of Mahila Mahapanchayat in front of the new parliament building on Sunday.
Taking to Twitter Phogat stated that democracy is being murdered and daughters of the nation are being treated like criminals on the day of the inauguration of the new parliament building which is termed as the temple of democracy.
“Democracy is being murdered openly at Jantar Mantar. On one hand, the Prime Minister has inaugurated the new building of democracy and on the other hand, the police detained our supporters. We are also under the control of the police,' said Phogat.
Thousands of police personnel have been deployed in Lutyens' Delhi and multiple layers of barricades put in place as part of the robust security arrangement in and around the new parliament building to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, officials said.
The wrestlers protesting at the Jantar Mantar, about two kilometres from parliament, said that they will go ahead with their "Mahila Mahapanchayat" near the new building at any cost.
No permission for 'Mahila Mahapanchayat'
Police, however, said that no protester will be allowed to move towards the new parliament building as permission has not been granted to hold the "Mahila Mahapanchayat".
A police official said that adequate security personnel have been deployed near the parliament building and there is a robust security arrangement made at the Jantar Mantar where wrestlers and farmers have been on a sit-in protest.
"We have completely covered the entire Jantar Mantar protest venue. It is being guarded by our security personnel. CCTV cameras installed there are being constantly monitored.
"There are heavy barricades placed and to keep strict vigil on the activities and to ensure no one moves outside the venue, for each protester, we have deployed at least five police personnel. That's how elaborate the security arrangement is at Jantar Mantar," he said.
Police pickets have also been set up in central Delhi and tight security arrangements have been made to maintain law and order, the official said.
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said that thousands of farmers from Uttar Pradesh will gather at Delhi's Ghazipur border at 10.30 am on Sunday and then enter the national capital to extend their support to the protesting wrestlers. But it is reported that farmers who arrived to support the wrestlers are also detained.
New Delhi under police control
Police have requested the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to grant necessary permission to create temporary jail in the MC Primary Girls School, Kanjawala Chowk, Old Bawana on Sunday if required, so that law and order arrangement could be maintained.
"Strict vigil is being kept along Delhi's borders. We have increased our pickets, multiple barricades have been placed and no one will be given entry inside the national capital without being thoroughly checked," a senior police officer said.
Police have already issued a traffic advisory that New Delhi district will be treated as a controlled area and entry of vehicles will be restricted.
The parliament building is located in a high-security area. Besides additional deployment, there is continuous monitoring through CCTV cameras, the police said.
(with PTI inputs)