Why are top Indian wrestlers protesting?

– An article by Shivani Gadre

On the evening of May 4th, chaos erupted at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi when some of India’s leading wrestlers accused the Delhi police of mistreating and verbally assaulting them during their ongoing protests against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Singh, who serves as both the president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and the BJP MP, has been accused of sexual harassment. Geeta Phogat, a former wrestler, claimed that a drunken police officer had attacked her brother. The police, however, stated that there was a confrontation after individuals were observed bringing cots to the location.

Earlier that day, seven female wrestlers approached the Supreme Court to request authorization to submit a sealed affidavit.

The counsel representing the seven female wrestlers approached a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha, and requested permission to submit a sealed affidavit to the court in a hearing scheduled. The counsel stated that while they did not have any objections to sharing a copy of the affidavit with the solicitor general, it must not be made public. The bench granted this request. On the same day, PT Usha, former athlete and head of the Indian Olympic Association, visited the protest site to show solidarity with the wrestlers. This came after Usha had accused the wrestlers of harming the country’s reputation in a previous statement.

The Delhi Police registered two FIRs against Brij Bhushan, one of which was under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the other related to outraging the modesty of a woman. The wrestlers have stated that their protests will continue until Brij Bhushan is apprehended. Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik remarked, “This is our first step towards victory, but the protests will continue.”

To summarize the events thus far, the wrestlers had initially protested at Jantar Mantar in January but later discontinued their demonstration. However, they have resumed their protest due to several reasons. Firstly, they have accused the government of being slow in releasing the committee’s report investigating the allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan. Secondly, they have lost faith in the committee and have expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of action taken against the MP, despite the assurance given to them in January. Additionally, the wrestlers have criticized the WFI for resuming their activities despite the ongoing investigation. They have also accused Brij Bhushan of still holding power, as evidenced by the first national tournament being held in his hometown of Gonda.

Who filed the complaints?

The seven female wrestlers who have filed police complaints against Brij Bhushan have not been identified to protect their privacy, as confirmed by CJI Chandrachud. The names of the complainants will be withheld from judicial records.

Although several wrestlers had supported the protest in January, three wrestlers had played a prominent role in leading the demonstration: Olympic bronze medalists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, and world medalist Vinesh Phogat. Younger wrestlers, including Anshu Malik, Sonam Malik, Ravi Dahiya, and Deepak Punia, had also voiced their support by joining the protest at Jantar Mantar or releasing videos. In the current round of protests, only Sakshi, Vinesh, and Bajrang have been present at Jantar Mantar. Despite their absence, the other wrestlers have not yet joined the protest. These three wrestlers have collectively earned dozens of international medals for India over the last decade.

Who is Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh?

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is a seasoned politician and administrator who has won the Gonda Lok Sabha seat in 1991 and 1999, Balrampur in 2004, and Kaiserganj in 2009, 2014, and 2019, making him an MP six times. Except in 2009, when he won on a Samajwadi Party ticket, he has been a candidate for the BJP in all of these elections.

Brij Bhushan, 66, is originally from Gonda and was involved with the ‘Ram Janmabhoomi movement.’ In his 2019 election affidavit, he was named in the Babri Masjid demolition case. Brij Bhushan is known for his political influence and strongman persona, wielding significant power over wrestling in India and having the final say on all matters related to the sport.

A self-proclaimed wrestling enthusiast, he has held several administrative roles in the sport, including President of the WFI, Vice-President of the Asian Wrestling Federation, and a member of the government’s Mission Olympic Cell, which identifies athletes for the Target Olympic Podium Scheme and takes action on their training proposals, among other things.

What are the accusations against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh?

The allegations made by the wrestlers against Brij Bhushan include financial mismanagement and arbitrary functioning of the WFI. However, the most serious accusation is that of sexual harassment. The complainants have reported incidents that occurred between 2012 and 2022, some of which happened at Brij Bhushan’s official residence in New Delhi or during wrestling tournaments in India and abroad. One of the complainants is a minor. The Sports Ministry’s letter to the Indian Olympic Association on Monday indicated that the wrestlers have made allegations against other federation officials and coaches, but their identities have not yet been confirmed.

Demands of the protesting wrestlers

The wrestlers who are protesting have put forth certain demands. Firstly, they want an FIR to be registered against Brij Bhushan based on their police complaint, and his arrest under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act since one of the complainants is a minor. They are also demanding his removal from the position of WFI president and the dissolution of the federation.

Why has this issue resurfaced now?

The wrestlers began protesting in January after receiving calls from young female wrestlers expressing concerns about the unsafe environment at the national camp in Lucknow. Vinesh, Sakshi, and Bajrang discussed the issue and decided to call out Brij Bhushan and coaches involved in sexual harassment. Other elite wrestlers, Anshu Malik and Sonam Malik, joined the protest. They are demanding Brij Bhushan’s removal and arrest to protect young wrestlers. Despite being ineligible to contest for president due to serving the maximum three terms, Brij Bhushan’s son Karan Bhushan Singh, a WFI vice-president, is a frontrunner to take over in the upcoming elections.

Response of the WFI regarding this protest

The WFI has denied the allegations of financial mismanagement and arbitrary functioning, while Brij Bhushan has denied the allegations of sexual harassment and accused the Congress and industrialists of being behind the wrestlers’ protests. Despite being asked for comments on the ongoing protests, Brij Bhushan has not responded, but he has previously stated his willingness to be investigated and claimed that his resignation would imply accepting the allegations against him.

Steps taken by the government regarding this protest

In January, a government-formed Oversight Committee was tasked with investigating allegations against Brij Bhushan and managing the WFI. However, the committee, headed by MC Mary Kom, submitted its report in April, well past the four-week deadline. The government has now nullified the ongoing WFI election process scheduled for May 7, and instructed the IOA to form an ad hoc panel to manage the WFI and conduct elections within 45 days.

The Oversight Committee’s findings

The Oversight Committee’s findings have not been made public yet, as they are still being examined. However, the Sports Ministry shared some of the “major findings” after a preliminary scrutiny of the report. The government highlighted the following key points:

The lack of a properly constituted Internal Complaints Committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013, and insufficient mechanisms for awareness building among athletes, as well as for grievance redressal.