West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday took to the streets of Kolkata in support of the protesting wrestlers demanding the arrest of WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh, stating that she will fight till they get justice.
Maintaining that their fight was a struggle for life, justice, and independence, Banerjee said BJP leaders have occupied top posts in every sports organisation in the country.
“There has been a POCSO case registered against the WFI chief, and despite the court’s intervention, nothing has been done by the police. Not just resignation, the BJP leader should be arrested. I am ashamed of the incident. We will fight till the protesting wrestlers get justice,” she said.
“I will request the wrestlers to continue their movement. This fight is for life, for independence, for humanitarian justice,” Banerjee said.
The wrestlers have been demanding the arrest of Singh, a BJP MP, alleging that he sexually harassed them.
“Earlier, the rule was that no political leader would hold the top position in any sports organisation. Now, BJP leaders are heading every sports body in the country. I brought this rule when I was the Union Sports Minister,” Banerjee said.
“BJP leaders keep saying one party, one nation, one leader, one law. If there is one law for all, then why are wrestlers being discriminated against? Why are they not getting justice as per the law? We are grateful to the Supreme Court as it said that FIR should be lodged and action should be taken,” she said.
She said that she will continue to fight even if she has to go to jail, urging sportspersons from all disciplines to speak up on the issue.
“I want to see how many jails they have to lock us all inside. This is the fight for humanity, justice, self-respect, truth, and of course, life,” she said.
Banerjee led a candlelight vigil from the statue of Gostha Pal, the first captain of the Indian football team, at Maidan to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Mayo Road-Dufferin Road crossing.
We have to understand that the community associated with sports is huge as crores of people love sports. A lot of you here are from humble backgrounds, but you have a lot of determination. That is the reason I am proud of all our sportspersons,” she told the sportspersons who participated in the rally.