Taking exception to the use of force against female wrestlers in New Delhi and failure to put the accused behind bars, the Karnataka Mahila Dourjanya Virodhi Okkoota has urged the President of India to intervene in the issue and safeguard the interests of the protesting female wrestlers.
Led by social activist Sharada Dabade, the members of the Okkoota submitted a memorandum addressed to the President at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Dharwad on Friday.
The members said that the female wrestlers, including Olympic medallists, along with others had been protesting for long seeking arrest of the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Mr. Singh is facing charges of sexually harassing women wrestlers, including a minor.
They expressed anguish over the failure of the Union government to act against the accused despite an FIR filed against him, which however came only after the Supreme Court’s directive.
They said that instead of initiating steps to resolve the matter by speaking to the wrestlers, the government had chosen to use force against the wrestlers and had treated them as if they were the accused. They also expressed ire against the misinformation and smear campaign launched against the wrestlers who won medals for the country. The demanded that all the charges against the protesting wrestlers should be dropped immediately and urged the Union government to take steps to get the MP arrested.
