Credibility of wrestlers' protest eroded when discredited politician joined it: BJP's Lekhi

Union Minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi said that the credibility of the protest is decreased now since several political leaders who have corruption charges against them have expressed their support to their cause.

New Delhi: Union Minister and BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi said the credibility of the wrestlers' protest at Jantar Mantar eroded after "discredited" politicians joined it. The country's top grapplers have been protesting at the capital's Jantar Mantar over the last few weeks. They have levelled sexual harassment charges against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh.

"When political people facing cases of ED and corruption charges reach the dharna site, the credibility of the protest is decreased," she said. Various political parties, including the Congress and AAP, have lent their support to the wrestlers' cause. Lekhi said that the Centre was "very sensitively" dealing with the wrestlers' issue and pointed out that the matter was in court.

Speaking about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's spending Rs 45 crore on the renovation of his residence at the peak of the pandemic, Meenakshi Lekhi spoke on the "moral and legal" wrongs done by the AAP supremo in arranging "seven-star facilities" for himself.

Lekhi also alleged that raising the wrestlers' issue is one of AAP's diversionary" tactics. Several AAP leaders held a meeting recently and planned to join the wrestlers' protest, she said.

The Minister's comments came the very next day after a clash broke out at the protest site between the wrestlers and the police over moving in of folding cots at the protest site. The police allegedly stopped the cots from coming in. The grapplers have also alleged that they were manhandled by the police and some of them were drunk.

Vinesh Phogat, one of the country's top sportsperson in an emotional outburst before the media said that they do not deserve such treatment from the police since they are not criminals. Vinesh also questioned the absence of women police personnel at the protest site.