The Modi government is facing a test from India’s daughters over its handling of the sexual harassment charges against Lok Sabha member and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the Congress said on July 11.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in a tweet, said that going by law and ethics, a person accused of atrocities against women should be removed from his post and a fair investigation ordered. The accused should then be arrested and punished in a court of law, she said.
“But in the BJP government, why is the one accused of atrocities against women players who brought laurels to the country protected and why is the matter being hushed up during investigation? Why is the entire government silent on this matter? Why is the accused still in the BJP and why has no action been taken?” Ms. Vadra asked.
‘Stop protecting accused’
Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘silence’ on the issue, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate asked when will Mr. Singh be arrested.
“Why is Prime Minister Modi silent on the issue of sexual harassment against women sportspersons? When will Modiji expel MP Brij Bhushan Singh from the party? When will Brij Bhushan Singh be arrested? When will the Modi government stop giving protection and patronising Brij Bhushan Singh? asked Ms. Shrinate at a press conference.
“You and your government are facing a test Mr. Modi, not from the Opposition but from India’s daughters,” she added.
On June 15, the Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against Ms. Singh for the offences of sexual harassment and stalking six women wrestlers. The police also recommended the cancellation of a POCSO case filed against him on a minor wrestler’s complaint.
Ms. Shrinate cited news reports that the Delhi Police, in its chargesheet, had accused the WFI chief of sexual harassment, stalking and intimidation, and requested the court to initiate action to prosecute him.
She added that 15 of the 108 people that the Delhi Police spoke to had made the same allegations to the Oversight Committee that was constituted in January. “Yet, it is ironic that the six-member Oversight Committee set up by the government under Mary Kom ignored these very allegations. During the hearing in February, the wrestlers made allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh while testifying before the committee,” she said.
The government didn’t appeal to the wrestlers even when they wanted to throw their hard-earned medals into the Ganga, she said. “Will the government not break its silence even after the chargesheet of the Delhi Police against Brij Bhushan Singh? Will PM Modi still not speak? If this government had any morality, then it would have given protection to the daughters and not to the accused,” Ms. Shrinate said.
