The Congress on Saturday demanded the arrest of Wrestlers Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over the sexual assault charges against him and accused the Delhi police and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government of trying to “safeguard” him.
“Filing the FIR (first information report) is not enough, the Delhi Police must also arrest Brji Bhushan Sharan Singh because he will definitely manipulate the probe. How can the government let loose an accused, who has been charged with more than 40 crimes under the IPC (Indian Penal Code?” Congress leader Deepender Hooda said at a press conference in Delhi.
The Delhi police filed two firs FIRs on Friday night in connection with sexual assault allegations levelled by India’s top wrestlers, naming the six-time parliamentarian as an accused, roughly four months after the athletes first went public with the charges and hours after the Supreme Court heard the case.
“What took the Delhi police so long to do what it should’ve done 3 months back when the first protest was held at Jantar Mantar? It took the Supreme Court to intervene in the matter for the Delhi police to take action,” Hooda said.
“It is also clear that the Delhi police has biases when it comes to taking action for the ruling and the opposition,” he added.
The Congress leader also targeted the BJP-led government for keeping mum on the issue, saying that the government’s agenda was to “safeguard” the accused MP instead.
Athlete and Congress leader from Rajasthan, Krishna Poonia said the BJP’s slogans like ‘Beti bachao beti padhao’ and ‘Khelo India’ are just mere slogans. “Not taking any concrete steps to tackle this case showcases the government’s lethargy in meting out justice to those girls who only have bought pride and recognition to the country,” he said.
“This also depicts the hypocrisy of the government. When they (athletes) get medals for the country they become the daughters of the nation, and today when they seek justice, their pleas are not heard,” said Poonia. “We will not step back till justice is served,” she added.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met with the protesting wrestlers at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and called for the removal of the WFI chief.
Singh has refuted all the allegations against him.
The allegations against Singh of sexual harassment, intimidation and mental torture first surfaced in January when the athletes first hit the streets in Delhi. The Union sports ministry then asked Singh to temporarily step aside and formed a committee to run the federation’s daily affairs and investigate the charges.
The Supreme court on Friday posted the matter after a week and directed the Delhi police to file an affidavit indicating the steps taken.