Mamata Banerjee waves to supporters after the march in Kolkata.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to the streets of Kolkata for the second straight day today to support wrestlers in their protest against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Leading a candlelight march from the statue of Gostha Pal - the first captain of India's national football team - at the Kolkata Maidan to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Mayo Road-Dufferin Road crossing, Ms Banerjee described the wrestlers' struggle as "a struggle for life, justice, and independence".
"Will fight till the protesting wrestlers get justice," the Chief Minister said. "I will request the wrestlers to continue their movement. This fight is for life, for independence, for humanitarian justice."
After the march, Ms Banerjee rode pillion on a motorcycle in Kolkata. In a video, the Chief Minister is seen waving to her supporters as the motorcycle begins to move and her security personnel start following the bike on foot.
On Wednesday too, Ms Banerjee had led a rally in Kolkata demanding justice for the protesting wrestlers. "Wrestlers are the pride of our country. We are with you in your fight," she had said.
Several Olympic and World Championships medal-winning wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat, have been protesting in Delhi demanding the arrest of WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing several women wrestlers and a minor.