Accusation of sexual harassment against the WFI CEO: Is this the improved sports climate established by the Modi government? requests Congress
Women wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik said on Wednesday that BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh sexually harassed them. On Thursday, the Congress criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the claims and asked if the government has made sports a “better environment.”
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted in Hindi, “Our players are the pride of the nation. “They bring honour to the country with their achievement at the world level.” She went on to say, “The players have made strong claims that the Wrestling Federation and its president are taking advantage of them, and their voices should be heard.”
हमारे खिलाड़ी देश की शान हैं। विश्व स्तर पर अपने प्रदर्शन से वे देश का मान बढ़ाते हैं। कुश्ती फेडरेशन व उसके अध्यक्ष पर खिलाड़ियों ने शोषण के गंभीर आरोप लगाए हैं। इन खिलाड़ियों की आवाज सुनी जानी चाहिए।
आरोपों की जांच कर उचित कार्रवाई की जानी चाहिए।
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) January 19, 2023
The communications director for the Congress, Jairam Ramesh, claimed, “The list of BJP leaders who have committed crimes against daughters is infinite. Was “Beti Bachao” a call to protect girls from BJP leaders! Please respond, Mr Prime Minister.” He then inquired, “Mr. Prime Minister, why are all those who commit crimes against girls affiliated with the BJP?”
Ramesh further stated, “Yesterday, you stated that the country’s sports environment had improved. “Is this the ‘better environment’ if even the daughters who bring laurels to the country cannot be protected?”
Kuldeep Sengar, Chinmayanand, father-son duo of Vinod Arya & Pulkit Arya…and now this new case!
The list of BJP leaders committing atrocities against women is endless.
Mr. PM, was ‘Beti Bachao’ a warning to save daughters from BJP leaders? India is waiting for an answer.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 19, 2023
Wednesday, when inaugurating a sporting event in Uttar Pradesh via video conference, Prime Minister Modi stated, “Many talents remained off the field. However, this outdated way of thinking has been abandoned in the last eight years. Now that a better atmosphere for sports has been created, more children and adolescents are considering a future in sports.”
At Jantar Mantar, hundreds of wrestlers protested against the WFI president and demanded his resignation.
Vinesh Phogat, the country’s only two-time World Champion medalist, addressed the media and stated, “Women wrestlers have been sexually assaulted at national camps by coaches and the WFI president, Brij Bhushan Sharan.” A number of coaches at national camps have sexually harassed female wrestlers for years. The WFI president also commits sexual harassment.
Sakshi Malik, India’s lone Olympic medalist, shared the podium with Vinesh and endorsed the charges by stating, “We have only come to help them.” We are battling for their benefit. When the moment is appropriate, we will speak up. “We will share the identities of those who have been exploited to whoever is undertaking the probe.”
