The National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) on Monday urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to suspend embattled Wrestling Federation of India chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexually harassing sportswomen, from Parliament.
In a letter to Birla, NFIW president Aruna Roy and General Secretary Annie Raja said FIRs under POSH and POCSO Act have been filed against Singh on charges of sexual abuse and criminal intimidation.
"We, the NFIW demands the suspension of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, an accused in the sexual harassment and criminal intimidation case, from Parliament with immediate effect," they said.
The NFIW also expects appropriate immediate action from you as speaker of the Lok Sabha, and as a representative of the people to "uphold women’s dignity and constitutional democratic rights", to act immediately and effectively, so that women can regain some confidence in the criminal justice system, they said.
The NFIW leaders said the issues raised by the protesting wrestlers have been ignored by the government. This does not promote confidence of women either in the government or to trust and expect justice from the police, legal system and the Parliamentarians.
One FIR is registered under POCSO and is based on the sexual harassment and criminal intimidation complaint of a minor wrestler and the other FIR also arises from similar complaints of sexual harassment under the POSH Act, filed by other young women wresters, the NFIW leaders said.
"The complainants, including a minor, are those young women, who have brought national and international laurels for India. They have consistently represented the country over many years, and won medals in the Commonwealth games and in the Olympics too," the letter said.
These young women worked hard, with determination and put in their best with their blood and sweat, to make India proud. The Prime Minister not only congratulated these wrestlers but appealed to the entire nation to celebrate the victories of these young enthusiastic women, they said.
"Our Constitution and legal system ensure that even verbal abuse is penalised, and justice is delivered to the aggrieved. However, all systems continue to be patriarchal, and corruption and even physical violence is used to deny justice to women in all walks of life. The entire Nation should be ashamed that women wrestlers, who brought international fame and recognition Indian women internationally, have been denied a proper hearing with due legal process. They have been forced to come to the streets, to stage protests day and night for justice," they said.