KTR slams Centre over treatment meted out to wrestlers

Hyderabad, May 29

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao has slammed the Centre for the treatment meted out to wrestlers during their protest in New Delhi.

"Can any responsible leader from Govt of India tell us why it has to be this way?," KTR asked on Twitter.

"These are champions who brought us glory on world stage! They deserve our support and respect," he said.

KTR, who is also a state minister, was reacting to a tweet by wrestler Sakshi Malik, who posted a video clip in which police personnel are seen dragging the wrestlers.

Police had detained protesting wrestlers who were trying to march towards the new Parliament when it was being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The wrestlers, who started the march from the site of protest at Jantar Mantar, were stopped by the police from proceeding towards the new Parliament. There was a scuffle when the protesters breached the security cordon.

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia were detained by the Delhi Police. They along with their supporters wanted to hold 'Mahila Mahapanchayat' near the new Parliament building demanding arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing women wrestlers including a minor.

Brij Bhushan Singh is a BJP MP from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh.