Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Saturday said that he will not resign from his post even though two first information reports have been filed against him for allegedly sexually harassing several sportswomen, reported ANI.
“Resignation is not a big deal but I am not a criminal,” Singh said. “If I resign, it will mean that I have accepted their [wrestlers] allegations. My tenure [as WFI president] is almost over. Government has formed a three-member committee and elections will be held in 45 days and my term will end after the elections.”
Since April 23, Olympic medal winners Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia and Commonwealth Games gold medal winner Vinesh Phogat are among several athletes who have been protesting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar seeking action against Singh.
The Delhi Police filed two first information reports against the federation chief on Friday, roughly four months after the wrestlers first went public with the charges and hours after the Supreme Court heard the case. However, the athletes have said that they would continue their agitation until he was arrested.
Singh, a six-time Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj, told reporters on Saturday that he is ready to cooperate with the investigating agencies but everyday the wrestlers are coming up with new demands.
“Now they are saying that I should be sent to jail and resign from all posts,” he said. “I am MP because of people of my constituency and not because of Vinesh Phogat.”
He also claimed that the protesting wrestlers belong to one particular group while 90% players of Haryana support him.
The politician also alleged that some industrialists and the Congress party are involved in the protest against him. “[Congress general secretary] Priyanka Gandhi Vadra does not know facts, when the investigating committee will release its report then she will come to know,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Vadra met the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar and expressed solidarity.
“These are serious allegations and he should first resign,” Vadra told reporters later. “As long as he is still at the post he will continue to tarnish the careers of these players. What is the point of investigation if he is still at the most powerful position in the federation?”
She also said that the Delhi Police should show them a copy of the FIRs registered against Singh.
Wrestlers say protest to continue till Singh is arrested
One of the FIRs against Singh pertains to allegations made by a minor player and was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code concerning outraging modesty. The second FIR was filed in connection to allegations made by adult complainants.
On Friday, Vinesh Phogat said at a press conference that the wrestlers have lost faith in the Delhi Police as it took them six days and the intervention of the Supreme Court to take action.
“We have already given enough evidence and if anything else is required, we’ll present it to the Supreme Court and not to the Delhi Police,” she added. “This is not a fight to register an FIR. This is a fight against one person who already has 85 cases against him. We need to free wrestling of corrupt people.”
She also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack Singh from all the positions.
Sakshi Malik described the filing of the FIRs as the “first step towards victory” while adding that the athletes are prepared for a long battle.
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