Wrestlers march towards the new Parliament building in Delhi was stopped by Delhi police on Sunday. Several khap leaders were detained by the police who attempted to cross the barricades and join with the protesters.
Delhi police has heightened the security in the wake of the march to be held by the protesting wrestlers in Jantar Mantar. Thousands of police have been deployed at Delhi borders as farmers groups are likely to join the protesters.
Barricades were put up near ITO road, Tikri and the Singhu border area to block the protesters from entering new Parliament building area.
Farmers' outfit BKU (Charuni) claimed that many farmer leaders in Haryana was detained as they proceeded towards Delhi to join the protest. Even wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia was detained when they took out the march towards the new Parliament building.
The protesting wrestlers on Saturday said that they have decided to hold a women's Maha Panchayat in front of the new Parliament building. The wrestlers have demanded the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Singh, who was alleged of sexual harassment.
Reportedly, farmers' group are being stopped in Punjab's Ambala from moving towards Delhi for the Mahila Mahapanchayat outside the new Parliament Building.
Several farmers leaders including Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Gurnam Singh Charuni, were also detained in Haryana's Kurukshetra. The groups, mostly of women, had halted at Gurudwara Manji Sahib on NH-44 for an overnight stay. Khap leaders were detained from Rohtak, Bhiwani, Hisar, Jind and other parts of the state.
“Mahapanchayat will certainly be held today. We're fighting for our self-respect. They're inaugurating the new Parliament building today, but murdering democracy in the country. We appeal to the administration to release our people detained by police,” said wrestler Bajrang Punia, reported ANI.
Police also closed the entry and exit gates of the gurudwara along with large trucks parked on the roads leading to the area.
Police officials said that the wrestlers were not granted the permission to enter the new Parliament building area.
