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Image Credit: Twitter/ Vinesh Phogat
Star Wrestler Vinesh Phogat Protests At Jantar Mantar, WFI President On Radar For Alleged Sexual Harassment
Writer: Ronit Kumar Singh
A confident and reliable journalist who always desires to toss the unheard voices. I cover politics and governance extensively through stories.
Delhi, 19 Jan 2023 6:56 AM GMT
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Creatives : Ronit Kumar Singh
A confident and reliable journalist who always desires to toss the unheard voices. I cover politics and governance extensively through stories.
A two-time Olympian, Vinesh Phogat, has alleged that BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh sexually harassed female wrestlers. Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik joined Vinesh in staging a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Star wrestler and two-time Olympic champion Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday (January 18) staged a protest at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, accusing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment.
Phogat also claimed that she was subject to mental harassment by the WFI boss, adding that she had contemplated suicide. In the past, Phogat was silenced by higher authorities for speaking against sexual and mental harassment.
Many Wrestler Joins Protest
Phogat was seen staging a protest at Jantar Mantar with 31 wrestlers, including Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik. All the star wrestlers have demanded and appealed to the WFI administration and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the removal of the WFI president and strict action against him.
While staging a protest, Phogat mentioned, “I spoke out against it. Brij Bhushan Saharan Singh was sexually harassing the female wrestlers. No one takes responsibility for injuries. They talk of banning wrestlers from nationals. The WFI president called me khota sikka (useless). I wanted to commit suicide,” India Today reported.
Who Is Brij Bhushan Saharan Singh?
Along with holding the WFI president’s post, Singh is also a BJP leader and MP from Kaiserganj Lok Sabha constituency, Uttar Pradesh. He has been in charge of WFI president for over a decade as the 66-year-old was re-elected unopposed for the third time in 2019 for a three-year tenure.
He is a six-term MP- five times as a member of the BJP and once in 2009 as the Samajwadi Party candidate. In the past three decades as a parliamentarian, he represented the Balrampur and Gonda constituencies and now represents the Kaiserganj constituency.
According to reports, Phogat has also received death threats after complaining against Singh to the Prime Minister and Sports Authority of India (SAI). Rio Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik highlighted that she is staging protests along with Phogat as the face of many young wrestlers who couldn’t join for some reason.
The Tokyo Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia also slammed the WFI president and mentioned that the WFI boss had abused the wrestlers very often, which broke their self-esteem. He also highlighted that the protest is not against the government or SAI but against WFI. Demand for strict action against Singh has been made, and an investigation is likely to occur soon.
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