New Delhi: Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament, found himself at the center of controversy as some of India's top wrestlers accused him of sexual harassment. However, during a recent rally in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda, Singh chose to ignore the protests and instead began his speech with a sentimental poem that touched upon themes of suffering, betrayal, and love.
Singh, without directly addressing the allegations made by elite grapplers, recited, "Kabhi ashq, kabhi gham, to kabhi zeher piya jata hai. Tab jakar jamane me jiya jata hai. Yeh mila mujhko muhabbat ka sila, bewafa kehke mera naam liya jata hai. Isko ruswai kahen ki shohrat apni, dabe hontho se mera naam liya jata hai (Sometimes you drink tears, sometimes sadness, and at times poison. Only then do you live in society. This is the reward I have received for my love, they call me unfaithful. Call it notoriety or fame, they take my name with pursed lips)," The rally, organized as part of the BJP's 'Mahasampark Abhiyan' for the upcoming 2024 elections, also saw Singh announce his intention to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Kaiserganj constituency. He expressed confidence in the BJP forming a majority government next year.
In a scathing attack on the Congress party, Singh commemorated nine years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government by stating that Indian territory had been occupied during Congress' rule, suggesting that PM Modi could have reclaimed it if he had been in power at the time. He highlighted, "During the Congress era, 78,000 square kilometers of India's land was captured by Pakistan when Jawahar Lal Nehru was the PM. China attacked India in 1962 and still holds 33,000 square kilometers of Indian land. In 1972, 92,000 Pakistani prisoners of war (POWs) were captured by India. That was an opportunity to get back the land captured by Pakistan (in exchange for POW). If there was a strong PM instead of Congress, if there was PM Modi, he would have definitely got it back."
Singh proceeded to heap praise on PM Modi, commending him for his decisions regarding Kashmir, the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, and his efforts in advancing infrastructure development, medical education, universities, and indigenous defense manufacturing. He concluded his speech with chants of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and recited a verse from the Ram Charit Manas.
Initially scheduled for June 5, Singh's "Jan Chetna Maharally" had to be postponed due to security reasons. However, on Saturday, the protesting wrestlers alleged that Singh was using his influence to pressure the sexual harassment victims and coerce them into changing their statements. They threatened to resume their protest if no decisive action was taken against Singh by June 15.
The Delhi Police, in connection with the case, has recorded statements from over 200 individuals and has assured that a chargesheet will be filed by June 15, as confirmed by Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur. As part of the investigation, the police has requested the women wrestlers who filed the sexual harassment case against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to provide any pictures, videos, or WhatsApp chat messages that can substantiate their allegations.
Prominent Indian wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshee Malikkh, and Bajrang Punia, have been actively protesting against Singh, demanding his immediate arrest for allegedly sexually harassing seven women athletes.
In response to the accusations, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh vehemently denied all allegations of sexual misconduct and released a defiant statement refuting the charges. He declared, "If a single allegation against me is proven, I will hang myself. If you (wrestlers) have any evidence, present it to the Court, and I am ready to accept any punishment."
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