Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Singh is in the middle of a quagmire as he has been accused of sexually harassing wrestlers by the country's top grapplers. Several Indian wrestlers including ace women grapplers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik staged a protest at the Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, and called for the removal of the WFI president from the post. In a shocking revelation, Vinesh alleged that Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh had been sexually exploiting women wrestlers for years.
Who is Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh?
The 66-year-old Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is a BJP MP from Kaiserganj, Uttar Pradesh, is the chief of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and has been holding the top post since 2011. He has been a six-term MP (five as BJP member and once, in 2009, as the SP candidate) who has represented Gonda and Balrampur in the past. His son Prateek Bhushan is a two-time MLA from Gonda Sadar. His wife Ketki Devi Singh has been president of the Gonda Zila Panchayat and son Prateek Bhushan Singh is presently the MLA from the Gonda Sadar seat.
Brij Bhushan was a wrestler during his youth who joined students' politics in the 1980s. He had a strong 'Hindutva image' at the time of the Ram Mandir movement in Ayodhya. He was one of the accused in the Babri demolition case. However, he was later acquitted by the court. His name was also on the list of 40 leaders against whom charges were framed, including senior BJP leader LK Advani, who was acquitted in 2020.
There was also a case against him under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) in the mid-90s for allegedly harbouring associates of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim: Subhash Singh Thakur, Jayendra Thakur alias Bhai Thakur, Paresh Desai and Shyam Kishore Garikapatti. He was also accused of providing them his phone to speak to Dawood. He was later acquitted of these charges. According to his election affidavit for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Singh has four pending cases against him in Ayodhya and Gonda. He faces charges such as dacoity, attempt to murder and rioting, among others.
Brij Bhushan has been president of the WFI for quite a while now. Despite the criticism about the mismanagement, he has managed to continue his stranglehold in the federation.
Meanwhile, the sports ministry has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the WFI.
The centre has said that if WFI does not respond in the next three days, the sports ministry ‘will proceed to initiate action against the federation in terms of the provisions of the National Sports Development Code, 2011.’
"Taking cognizance of the protest staged by wrestlers, including Olympic and CWG medalists, in Delhi today and a press conference in which wrestlers have levelled serious charges of sexual harassment of women wrestlers by the President and coaches of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and of mismanagement in the functioning of the federation, the Sports Ministry has sought an explanation from WFI and directed it to furnish a reply within the next 72 hours on the allegations made. In its communication to WFI, the Ministry has stated that "since the matter pertains to the well being of athletes, the Ministry has taken a very serious view of the matter." the sports ministry said in the statement.
"The Ministry has further stated that if WFI fails to furnish the reply within the next 72 hours, the Ministry will proceed to initiate action against the federation in terms of the provisions of the National Sports Development Code, 2011," the statement added.
Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan while refuting the allegations levelled against him said, “All the sexual harassment allegations are false, and I will commit suicide if they are found to be true. I tried to get in touch with the wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, but was unable to do so.”
