Brinda Karat meets wrestlers, says theirs is ‘every woman’s struggle for justice’

A day after the protesting wrestlers made it clear that all political parties were welcome to join them in their cause, CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat visited them at the protest site at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Tuesday (April 25).

Karat had paid the wrestlers a visit in January, too, during the first leg of their protest demanding action against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of players. But at that time, they had turned her away, saying they did not want to give a political colour to their protest.

Also read: Wrestlers’ protest takes political colour, Supreme Court intervenes

Full support from Karat

When Karat reached the protest site on Tuesday, the wrestlers, including star athletes Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, apologised to her for the January incident. Karat said she fully supported their demands.

“I told them (the wrestlers) that I was there the first time to express solidarity and I have come back as I fully support their demands. They told me that the Delhi Police has refused to file an FIR and is revealing the names of complainants to the WFI chief who is threatening the complainants,” Karat told PTI.

Watch: Won’t move an inch until demands are met: Wrestlers at Jantar Mantar

“I told the wrestlers that they have our full support and we will organise protests to demand justice. I told them about the struggle we waged for laws against sexual harassment and that the government is violating those laws to protect their own MP. Their struggle is every woman’s struggle for justice,” she said.

In a departure from their earlier stand, the wrestlers on Monday rallied for support from political parties, women’s organisations, and farmers’ organisations.

(With agency inputs)