The Congress on Friday asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is silent over the massive protests against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Parliament (MP), Brij Bhushan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment and mental torture of woman wrestlers.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate was joined by Olympic bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh and Commonwealth Games gold medallist discus thrower Krishna Poonia, both Congress leaders, at a press conference in New Delhi, questioning the government for not taking any action against the WFI chief.
“The allegations against Brij Bhushan Singh have been levied by an athlete who PM Modi considered as her own daughter. The same girl in her despair has told recently that a girl should not be born in this country,” said Poonia, a Congress MLA from Rajasthan.
“Wrestler Vinesh Phogat told in her first press conference that in October 2021, she and her family had told all the truth to PM Modi and also warned that her life was in danger. But PM Modi had assured them that nothing would happen to her. The PM had publicly claimed that Phogat is like her daughter and that he knew Phogat’s family very well. So why did PM Modi do nothing against the Wrestling Federation and remain silent for so long?” said Shrinate.
Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday alleged that she knows at least 10-12 women wrestlers who have told her about the sexual exploitation they faced at the hands of the WFI president. The protests by wrestlers at Jantar Mantar, Delhi entered their third day on Friday. Brij Bhushan Singh has denied the charges against him saying there has been no incident of sexual harassment.
Shrinate added, “It’s been more than 72 hours and this is an unprecedented event where the most decorated sports stars are sitting at Jantar Mantar and crying. The government’s silence is not only reprehensible but also raises a lot of serious questions about the government.”
“BJP only raised slogans of ‘Beti Bachao’ and ‘Khelo India’ but today the flag bearers of sports in India are sitting in Jantar Mantar and raising questions that PM Modi knew about sexual harassment in the Wrestling Federations since 2021 but now ways are being devised to shun the case,” she added.
“On one side our country demands medals and on the other side are the parents who are observing that sexual harassment is a real thing in sports. Will these parents knowing of this send their girls to achieve a career in sports? BJP has not done anything about it and it has already been three days,” said Poonia.