(Samaj Weekly)- Indian Workers Association (G.B) have been raising their voice in the UK and held a protest at the Town Hall in Leicester when for the first time in Indian sport, Olympians and Olympic medallists were out on the street protesting poor governance, financial irregularities, and alleged sexual exploitation by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Indian workers grew more concerned when the renowned wrestlers, including Olympic medalists and commonwealth champions, were staging a dharna/protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, India since 23rd April demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh and his sacking from the post in the light of allegations, by woman grapplers, of sexual harassment. Instead of arresting and punishing the guilty, they had to face harassment by the police and authorities at the protest site at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
These several women (including a minor) wrestlers, who have brought glory to the Indian nation and made the community proud worldwide by winning medals at international sporting events, have raised serious allegations of sexual harassment against Member of Parliament of Bhartiya Janata Party, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is also the President of Wrestling Federation of India, a body recognised by the Government of India.
It has been more than four months of a long tussle between Indian women wrestlers, the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. On April 24, the case reached Supreme Court with the bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud who decided to examine the petition filed by seven women wrestlers against Mr. Singh’s alleged sexual harassment. Since then, the Delhi Police has registered two FIRs against Mr. Singh — one dealing separately with offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act allegedly committed against a minor.
Instead of arresting and punishing the guilty, the Women had to face harassment by the police and authorities at the protest site at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
Women’s organisations, Khap panchayats, farmer organisations, organisations of workers and students all over the country have been coming to the protest site to meet the wrestlers and express their support.
On May 12th, 2023, the Indian Olympic Association formed the Ad Hoc Committee for the discipline of Wrestling and shall carry out all the duties and responsibilities of the National Sports Federation (WFI), making it clear the outgoing office bearers shall have no role in the running of the federation. We welcome this good step, but it’s not enough until the culprits are arrested and prosecuted.
We strongly condemn the statement of Brij Bhushan who was slammed for his comment about ‘medals worth Rs 15’ and said that the protesting grapplers should think of returning their prize money instead of the medals as they are “only worth Rs 15.”
“No, they should return the money. Medals will be sold for Rs 15.” – Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
We, the IWA GB are more concerned about how the Govt gave Mr Singh responsibility to run the sport as a representative of the head of the country, then not taken any action against him when our women/daughters are being sexually harassed.
Whatever medals they have won in India, they are willing to return to the Indian Government. Their national and international medals were not given to them by any Government and therefore, will keep those, as these are awarded for their hard work. They are all our role models for the youth and inspiring the whole community worldwide.
This is the fight for the respect and dignity of the country’s daughters and mothers and for the dignity of India.
It is very sad that so many of our daughters are being sexually assaulted and these criminals are committing crimes out in the open and the Government of India have not protected the victims.
We the Indian Workers Association (G.B) have already sent a request to PM Modi and the British Prime Minster to intervene in this serious matter regarding the women’s safety. So far, the Indian police and other agencies have not investigated this serious matter or even arrested the culprits.
Indian Workers Association (G.B) will continue their struggles for the safety of our Indian female renowned wrestlers, including Olympic medalists and commonwealth champions, as this is the fight for the respect and dignity of the country’s daughters and mothers and for the dignity of India. The guilty must be punished at the earliest.
We hope the Indian Government takes the necessary steps against their MP Brij Bhushan and any others who are responsible without any delay.
Sital Singh Gill
General Secretary
