KTR Slams Centre For Insulting Wrestlers

Condemning the "manhandling and forceful detention" of the country's ace wrestlers by the Delhi police during their protest in the national capital, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president and IT Minister K T Rama Rao accused the union government of insulting the wrestlers.

Reacting to a tweet by wrestler Sakshi Malik, who posted a video clip in which police personnel are seen dragging the wrestlers, Rao on Monday questioned the union government on Twitter asking, "Can any responsible leader from the government of India tell us why it has to be this way?"

The minister further said, "These are champions who brought us glory on world stage! They deserve our support and respect. (sic)?

For the past 35 days, the wrestlers have been staging a sit-in protest at the Jantar Mantar against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment of several women grapplers, including a minor. India?s top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, have been taking part in the protest. On May 28, the wrestlers were detained when they tried to march towards the new Parliament building when it was being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.