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New Delhi: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday met the wrestlers sitting on a dharna demanding action against the president of the Wrestling Federation of India Brijbhushan Sharan Singh and expressed her support to them. She alleged that the government is protecting Singh. The Congress General Secretary also said that Singh should be removed from his post first.
Priyanka arrived at the Jantar Mantar on Saturday morning before leaving to campaign for the Karnataka assembly elections. She also had a separate conversation with the female wrestlers and sat there for some time. During this, Rajya Sabha member Dipendra Hooda was also with him.
Priyanka told reporters, “When these girls win medals for the country, everyone praises them, calls them pride for the country, but today when they are sitting on a dharna, no one is ready to listen.” she said that first Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh should be removed from the post of the President of the Wrestling Federation, because while on the post, she will continue to misuse power and ruin the career of wrestlers. Targeting the government, Priyanka asked why is it saving Singh? She said, “These girls have done so much for their country and state….When they came after winning medals, the Prime Minister had called them, but why are they not getting them now?”
In response to a question, Priyanka said that she has no hope from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress leader alleged that whenever it comes to exploitation against women, the government remains silent. He said that all the women of the country should stand with these women wrestlers, so that action is taken. Priyanka said that no one knows what is there in both the FIRs lodged against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
She questioned why the FIR was not shown to these wrestlers. It is noteworthy that the Delhi Police on Friday registered two FIRs in connection with allegations of sexual harassment by women wrestlers against Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. A senior police officer had said on Friday that two FIRs have been registered at the Connaught Place police station on the complaint of women wrestlers.
She had said that the first FIR related to allegations leveled by a minor, under which a case was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. The wrestlers who accused Singh of sexual harassment and intimidation started their agitation once again from 23 April. Earlier, they staged a dharna in January.
