‘Delhi police abused, kicked us’: Farmers stopped at Singhu Border from going to Jantar Mantar to support wrestlers
A scuffle had broken out between Delhi Police and protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday. The wrestlers alleged they were manhandled by the police.
Hours after the wrestlers, who have been protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations, requested for farmers and their leaders to be present at the protest site after a scuffle between Delhi Police and the wrestlers, several farmers' leaders alleged on Thursday that they were stopped at the Haryana's Singhu border from going to Jantar Mantar.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Abhimanyu Kohar said on Twitter, “We were peacefully with our elders and youngsters were going to Jantar Mantar to support the wrestlers. At Singhu Border, Delhi Police personnels stopped us, misbehaved, abused us and kicked senior farmers leaders. They aggressively pushed us in a police bus and brought us to Bavana Police Station. I request everyone who has a conscience to come on the streets in support of the wrestlers. This is not a small issue, it is an issue of honour of our daughters.”
According to the news agency ANI, the Delhi Police said that 15 people were detained from the Singhu border area.
Kohar further in the video accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government for neither supporting the farmers nor the women of the country. He said, “We have to save farming as well as our daughters. The BJP doesn't understand the importance of either.”
He also said, “No matter how much the government commits atrocities, we will neither be suppressed, nor will we bow down, nor will we back down. Bawana is closed in Sector 1 police station since this morning.”
In another video posted by Kohar, several farmers and leaders are seen at the Singhu Border along with Delhi Police officials. The video shows barricades aligned to stop the farmers from entering Delhi. The farmers are further seen getting into a scuffle with the police, after which police officials detained the farmers.
ANI also reported that several Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCPs) had been asked to be on alert in respective districts by senior officials as the administration has said to have received inputs that several people were coming to the protest site to join the wrestlers.
A scuffle had broken out between Delhi Police and protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday. The wrestlers alleged that they were manhandled by the police personnel. Four people, including Congress leader Deepender Hooda and AAP leader Somnath Bharti, were detained following the scuffle, police said.
Following the scuffle, wrestler Bajrang Punia told ANI, “We're in need of the support of the whole country, everyone must come to Delhi. Police using force against us, abusing women and doing nothing against Brijbhushan.”
