Wrestlers’ Protest: Political Twist to Sexual Harassment Controversy against WFI Chief
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Jan 20: Even as the protesting wrestlers on Friday reached out to Indian Olympic Association (IOA), demanding formation of an enquiry committee to probe the allegations of sexual harassment they have levelled against Wrestling Federation of India President, the under-fire chief sought to give a political twist to the agitation claiming it to be a “Congress conspiracy” against the BJP.
“The protest by wrestlers against me is the dharna of Shaheen Bagh,” Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, who is also a sixth-time Lok Sabha BJP Member of Parliament from UP’s Kaisarganj constituency, told reporters in his native place Gonda on Friday.
Singh termed the protest in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar an attack on BJP orchestrated by the Congress party. He claimed that the “protesting players have become a toy in the hands of Congress and Deepinder Hooda. This type of conspiracy was done against me by the Congress almost three decades ago. Once again the conspiracy has been repeated.
Indian wrestlers protesting sexual harassment allegations against the federation chief and some coaches are expected to meet Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur again on Friday after the four-hour long late Thursday night talks failed to reach a breakthrough.
Refusing to step down and denying all charges, Singh said “If I speak, there will be a tsunami… I am not here because of someone’s charity. I have been elected by the people.” Anurag Thakur had dialled Mr Singh, and cautioned him against making any statement to media as it could further complicate the situation with wrestlers.
Indian Olympic Association has called for an emergency meeting over wrestlers’ sexual harassment allegations against federation chief. The meeting is expected to be held by Friday evening. The wrestlers have sent a letter to IOA chief PT Usha seeking action against Singh.
In their letter the wrestlers said they have been informed by several of their younger colleagues about the sexual harassment they faced at the hands of Singh.
The letter has been signed by five wrestlers including Tokyo Olympics medallists Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia. Rio Games bronze winner Sakshi Malik and World Championship medallists Vinesh Phogat and Deepak Punia have also signed.
The wrestlers reiterated their demand that WFI be disbanded and its President be sacked. They also demanded that a new committee is formed, in consultation with the wrestlers, to run the affairs of the national federation.
“Vinesh Phogat was mentally harassed and tortured by the WFI chief after she missed out on an Olympic medal in Tokyo. She almost contemplated suicide,” the wrestlers wrote in their letter to Ms Usha, adding that “they fear for their lives.” Vinesh Phogat has agreed to reveal the identity of the victims to the IOA committee. Celebrated Indian wrestlers, including Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik besides Vinesh Phogat and others are staging a sit-in protest for the last two days at Jantar Mantar against the WFI president, accusing him of sexual exploitation and intimidation and have demanded that the federation be disbanded.
The Sports Ministry has urged the protesters to wait as it has sought a response from the federation. Earlier on Wednesday, the centre had made it clear that if the WFI did not respond in the next three days, the sports ministry “will proceed to initiate action against the federation in terms of the provisions of the National Sports Development Code, 2011.”
The wrestlers are insistent that Singh be sacked immediately but is adamant. “There is no question of resigning. I have not spoken with the Prime Minister’s Office and Home Minister,” Mr Singh said earlier. In his previous responses to the allegations, Mr. Singh had denied any incident of sexual harassment. “If such a thing has happened, then I will hang myself,” he had said. Sexual harassment is a big allegation. How can I take action when my own name has been dragged into this? I am ready for an investigation,” he had said, adding that he won’t quit.
Top Indian wrestlers have accused Singh of sexual exploitation of young athletes at the women’s national camp. Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia said several more wrestlers were willing to step forward. “Yesterday there were two girls. Now we have five to six girls who are willing to step forward with proof,” Mr. Punia told the media at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar where he and several international and Olympic medallists had gathered in protest since Tuesday.
