Dissolve wrestling federation: Cong
new delhi: In the wake of allegations of sexual harassment against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the Congress on Friday demanded that the sports body should be dissolved and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should answer what action he took when issues were allegedly flagged to him by a wrestler in 2021.
Flanked by Olympic bronze medalist boxer Vijender Singh and Commonwealth Games gold medalist discus thrower Krishna Poonia, both Congress leaders, party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, “It was “shameful” that even after 72 hours, Singh had not resigned and the government was maintaining a “conspicuous silence”. The Congress’ first and foremost demand is that the federation should be dissolved with immediate effect.”
“Brij Bhushan Singh should have resigned on Thursday itself. But the biggest demand that we raise for the public interest is that women need to be made safe and secure,” Shrinate said at a press conference at the AICC headquarters on Friday. Taking on the government, the Congress leader said, “It’s for the first time that some of the most decorated athletes of India have come out in the open and talked about sexual harassment. What more do we want our girls to say.”
“The biggest question before the country today is when Modi got to know the gory details of what was happening in the Wrestling Federation of India in October 2021 and Vinesh Phogat is on record to say that she briefed the prime minister along with her family, what did he do, why did he not get an inquiry done?” Shrinate said.
“Was there an inter-departmental inquiry done? Was Brij Bhushan Singh summoned? Was he asked to clarify his stance? There are many questions today and that is our foremost demand. This country needs to know the truth,” she said. Poonia, a Congress MLA from Rajasthan, said, “It was very difficult for women athletes to get into sports and with such matters coming to light it is going to get tougher.”
Poonia further alleged that the BJP has “torn the ‘Beti Bachao’ slogan to shreds” with repeated incidents involving BJP leaders coming to light.
On the occasion, Vijender Singh said that he had gone and expressed solidarity with the wrestlers and strict action should be taken immediately in the matter.
