New Delhi: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Saturday demanded action against Bharatiya Janata Party MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation, after she met wrestlers on an indefinite protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Vadra visited Jantar Mantar Saturday morning between election campaigns in Karnataka. She was accompanied by Congress leader and Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda.
Wrestlers, including some top names such as Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, have been protesting since earlier this week demanding Singh’s arrest.
Singh has been accused of sexually harassing at least seven women wrestlers.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Priyanka said that she had “no expectations” from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose party Singh, an MP from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh, belongs to.
“If he (the PM) cared even a little bit, then he would have at least spoken to them, called them. When they came with medals, they were called, right? They were served tea. So, call them now too. Talk to them. They are daughters. They are all our daughters,” Priyanka said, questioning the inquiry committee that had been formed to look into the allegations.
After days of sit-in protests by wrestlers in January, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had announced a five-member inquiry panel to look into allegations against Singh, who, after days of defiance, had finally announced he was stepping down from his position temporarily.
The panel, which was to be headed by India’s ace boxer M.C. Mary Kom, is reported to have submitted its findings in April but they have yet to be made public.
“We all know what these committees mean. It is a way to deflect the whole conversation. They’ll say we are making a committee, you please talk to the committee. That’s the end of the matter. That’s what the government wants,” Priyanka said, demanding Singh’s dismissal from the post of WFI chief.
‘Stand with them’
Speaking to the press Saturday, Priyanka Gandhi said it wasn’t uncommon for crimes against women to go unpunished by the BJP.
“Take the example of villages in Uttar Pradesh or anywhere in the country. When there are atrocities against women, the government goes quiet. The women can’t file FIRs. If FIRs are filed, they are not given a copy. This is not a new story,” she said.
She wondered why “so much was being done to save this man”.
“When so many girls, who’ve done so much for the country, their families, their state… when they’ve gone through so much personal hardship… they’ve done so much and you’re saving him? Save them. What does it say about our country if we can’t save them?,” she asked.
At a press conference held later at the Congress headquarters, Hooda said that Priyanka assured the wrestlers that the Congress party stood behind them in their fight.
“She heard the wrestlers’ plight like an elder sister. She heard everything they said very carefully. She assured our sisters that the entire Congress party is with them in their struggle,” he said.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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