Delhi Police on Friday informed the Supreme Court that it will register an FIR into a complaint by wrestlers alleging sexual harassment by Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Accused of sexual harassment by India’s top wrestlers, under-fire national federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Thursday indicated that he will fight with all his might to prove his innocence.
In a video message, the BJP MP, without making a mention of the allegations against him, indicated that he would not accept defeat till he has strength for fight.
“Friends, the day I reflect on my life, what I gained or lost, the day I feel I don’t have the strength to fight, the day I feel helpless, I won’t like to live a life like that. Instead of living such a life, I would wish that death embraces me,” he said.
Frustrated with the three-month-long wait, the peeved wrestlers returned to Jantar Mantar to resume their agitation on April 23. Over the last five days, the wrestlers at the protest site.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha on Thursday said the grapplers lacked discipline as they hit the streets to resume their protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Speaking to reporters after an executive committee meeting of the IOA on Thursday, Usha said, “Our feeling is that for sexual harassment complaints, IOA has a committee and athletes’ commission. Instead of going to the street (again), they should have come to us, but they have not at all come to IOA.”
The IOA is yet to complete its probe into the allegations while the government-formed oversight panel’s findings have not been made public as yet.
Meanwhile, the Indian sporting fraternity on Friday put its weight behind the protesting wrestlers with Olympic gold medallists Neeraj Chopra and Abhinav Bindra leading the way.
Chopra tweeted, “It hurts me to see our athletes on the streets demanding justice. They have worked hard to represent our great nation and make us proud. As a nation, we are responsible for safeguarding the integrity and dignity of every individual, athlete or not. What’s happening should never happen. ”
“This is a sensitive issue, and must be dealt with in an impartial and transparent manner. Pertaining authorities must take quick action in order to ensure that justice is served.”
On Thursday, Bindra had tweeted, “As athletes, we train hard every day to represent our country on the international stage. It is deeply concerning to see our athletes finding it necessary to protest on the streets regarding the allegations of harassment in the Indian wrestling administration.”
Besides champion javelin thrower Chopra, ace boxer Nikhat Zareen, tennis star Sania Mirza, hockey player Rani Rampal, renowned former cricketers Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Madan Lal and Navjot Singh Sidhu also came out in support of the wrestlers.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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