Expressing disappointment over the FIR lodged against her and fellow wrestlers, Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik has said the whole world is watching how the government is treating its sportspersons.

Taking to Twitter, Sakshi Malik slammed the Delhi Police, saying it did not take “even seven hours” to register the case while it took “seven days” to book Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

“It takes seven days for Delhi Police to register an FIR against Brij Bhushan who sexually assaulted the wrestlers and it didn’t even take seven hours to register an FIR against us for peacefully protesting. Has dictatorship started in this country? The whole world is watching how the government is treating its sportspersons,” tweeted Olympic medallist wrestler Sakshi Malik.

On Sunday, Sakshi Malik and her fellow wrestlers, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sangeeta Phogat, were detained by the Delhi Police while attempting to march to the new Parliament building where the protesting wrestlers planned to stage a demonstration.

Earlier on Sunday, the protesting wrestlers who were trying to march towards the new Parliament from their site of protest at Jantar Mantar were stopped and detained by the security personnel in Delhi.

On Sunday, tensions heightened as Vinesh Phogat, along with her sister Sangeeta Phogat and other wrestlers, made an attempt to breach the security barricades. This led to a clash with both protesters and police officers engaging in shoving and pushing and later, all wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and their supporters were detained and removed from the protest site.

The Delhi Police earlier said that “unsocial elements” won’t be allowed to enter the national capital to ensure smooth conduct of the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building, said DCP, Sonipat East Gaurav Rajpurohit.

The Police have registered FIR against protest organisers and others in connection with the scuffle that broke out at Jantar Mantar on Sunday.

In all, 700 people were detained across Delhi, including 109 at Jantar Mantar, while an FIR was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the wrestlers – Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat – who had organised the protest in connection with Sunday’s incident, a Delhi Police official said.

“A case has been registered against wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and other organisers of the protest. A few wrestlers had come to Jantar Mantar at night to protest, they were denied permission and were sent back,” the Delhi Police said.

The FIR has been filed under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 147, 149, 186, 188, 332, 353, Section 3 of the PDPP Act, said Delhi Police.

According to the police, the FIR was lodged at the Parliament Street police station under Sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation), 147 (rioting) and 149 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committedAin prosecution of common object) of the IPC and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

All women protestors, including wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Sangeeta Phogat, were released late on Sunday evening.

The wrestlers had announced that they planned to hold a women’s Maha Panchayat in front of the new Parliament building on May 28 as part of their protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan who has been accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers. Seven women wrestlers have filed a police complaint against him.