The nation saw disturbing visuals on a Sunday when the new Parliament was inaugurated with much pomp. Some of the leading wrestlers of the country were dragged along the road by the police and allegedly manhandled, before being taken to police station for detention. A host of sportspersons from several fields condemned the act. Social media went berserk with different reactions.
If nothing else, it was a most unsavoury sight. Bajrang Punia is an Olympic bronze medallist, who has a few World Championship medals as well. Sakshi Malik is an Olympic bronze medallist. Vinesh Phogat has two World Championship medals. They are top-notch athletes, who have won laurels for the country in the biggest competitions.
Now, the question is, does winning medals place them above the law? One of India’s most decorated wrestlers, Sushil Kumar, is in jail on murder charges. He has two Olympic medals and a World Championship gold. That does not mean he can get away with murder. No matter who you are, you are not above the law of the land.
The wrestlers protesting against Brij Bhushan Saran Singh, the wrestling federation president, did not have permission to march towards the Parliament on Sunday. Remember, that to take out a procession, you need approval from the police and local administration. And this was certainly not a day when the administration would have granted permission for a march towards Parliament.
In that sense, the wrestlers were wrong. Clearly instigated by other forces, they still chose to hold their demonstration outside Parliament on that particular day. Without permission, it was an unlawful act. They could have done this on any other day. Who knows, they might even have been given clearance. This was not the right day.
Now, let us come to the other side of the story. Was it necessary for the police to unleash force on athletes who had previously been called national treasures? Unarmed individuals heading towards a particular place are not a security threat. It’s a disciplinary issue, alright, but not a national-safety concern. So why take such action, with the world’s eyes already trained on New Delhi? It’s a question that should be answered.
The police could have dealt with the matter in a more a dignified way. It is your duty to treat your subjects with empathy and sensitivity. When you do that, you earn more respect. What we saw in Delhi was just the opposite, and it impacts the very image of the country.
Essentially, this was a classic case of two wrongs. The wrestlers were not right when they decided to take out a rally without administrative approval. The administration’s response, given that the protesters were unarmed, was perhaps disproportionate. And as we all know, two wrongs never made a right!
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