NEW DELHI: Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Sunday said no permission will be granted to convert an MCD school into a temporary jail. The Delhi Police had sought permission to convert the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) school at Kanjhawala into a temporary jail in view of the wrestlers' 'Mahila Maha Panchayat'.
"It has been brought to my notice that a letter has been sent by the Delhi Police to the MCD Deputy Commissioner (North) on 27.05.2023 asking to create a temporary jail in MC Primary Girls School, Kanjhawala Chowk, Old Bhawan on 28.05.2023," Oberoi said in an order issued on Sunday.
It is hereby directed that "no permission will be granted", she said in the order. Oberoi is a councillor of the AAP, which governs the MCD.
The development comes on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building.
The Delhi police on Sunday detained Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia after they breached the security cordon while trying to move towards the new Parliament building for a women's 'Mahapanchayat'. Immediately after, the wrestlers were pushed into buses and taken to an unknown location, the police officers began clearing the protest site by removing the cots, mattresses, cooler fans and the tarpaulin ceiling along with other belongings of the wrestlers.
The champion wrestlers had resumed their agitation at Delhi's Jantar Mantar against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on April 23, demanding his arrest.
The agitating wrestlers, including the likes of Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia, Sakshi and Asian Games gold winner Vinesh have been demanding the arrest of the outgoing WFI President who they have accused of sexually harassing several women grapplers.
Chaotic scenes were witnessed at Jantar Mantar as wrestlers and police officers shoved and pushed each other when Vinesh Phogat and her cousin sister Sangeeta Phogat tried to breach the barricades. At one stage, the protestors even entered into arguments with the Delhi Police personnel.
Vinesh provided a strong resistance against her detention and Sangeeta clung to her cousin sister while lying on the road as the struggle continued for a few dramatic minutes. The police officials dragged and lifted them into buses along with several other wrestlers and their supporters.
Dependra Pathak, Special CP, Law and Order, Delhi Police, who was also at the spot to monitor the situation, said that the wrestlers have been detained for violating law and order. "We will take legal action after an inquiry in due course of time," the senior police officer said.
(With inputs from Ujwal Jalali)