India Today has accessed the content of the Delhi Police's FIR against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MLA Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations made by a couple of wrestlers
Following the FIR, BJP MLA Brij Bhushan’s show-of-strength Ayodhya rally scheduled for June 5 has been postponed
Following the cancellation of the Jan Chetna Maharali in Ayodhya amid sexual harassment allegations, BJP MLA Brij Bhushan wrote on Facebook, “I have served as a member of the Lok Sabha for the last 28 years with your support. I have tried to unite people of all castes, communities and religions while in power and opposition…”
According to the two FIRs against Brij Bhushan, the WFI chief has been accused of demanding sexual favours from the wrestlers and at least 10 complaints of molestation have also been registered against him
Some of the complaints also mentioned that on the pretext of training women wrestlers, Brij Bhushan ‘inappropriately’ touch them and ‘moved his hands over their chest and back and even chased them’
A group of wrestlers had filed a complaint against WFI chief Brij Bhushan on April 21, following which two FIRs were filed on April 28 against the BJP MLA. The FIRs were lodged under Sections 354, 354(a), 354(d) and 34, which account for a three-year jail term
Allegations by six Olympians, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Anshu Malik, and Bajrang Punia, have been included in the FIR. Another FIR mentions allegations made by the father of a minor
Earlier, Union Minister Smriti Irani spoke about Vinesh Phogat's cousin Babita Phogat, who is a wrestling champion and had joined BJP in 2019. She said, “I was with Babita Phogat. Do you think a famous wrestler like her would sit with people who would have exploited someone and that too people of her family, do you think Babita Phogat would go against her family?”
A group of farmers led by BKU leader Rakesh Tikait have also joined the wrestlers’ protest. Tikait had stopped the wrestlers from immersing their Olympic medals in Ganga river. He then gave a five-day ultimatum to the government before threatening to cut off milk, and vegetable supplies to Delhi-NCR region