A wrestler and muscleman, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh not new to controversies

A wrestler himself and a muscleman, whose writ runs large in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda and Baharaich districts, BJP Lok Sabha member and president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment of female wrestlers, is not new to controversies.

A prominent face of the Ram Temple movement, Singh, who was an MP from Kaiserganj Parliamentary constituency in Baharaich district of the state, was arrested along with senior BJP leaders L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and others after demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. He was acquitted in the matter by the court in 2020.

Singh was also charged under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for allegedly sheltering the shooters of a gang, which was involved in the killing of mafia don Dawood Ibrahim's relative. He was later acquitted by the court in the matter.

Also read: Wrestlers want IOA to form probe panel to look into sexual harassment allegations against WFI President

The firebrand saffron leader had made headlines recently after he slapped a wrestler on the stage during the Under-19 National Wrestling Championship at Ranchi. He had also recently hogged the limelight over his outbursts against Baba Ramdev.

According to the affidavit submitted by him along with his nomination papers in 2019 LS polls, Singh faces four criminal cases, including those of attempt to murder. A six time MP, Singh was also accused of attacking senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and former UP minister Vinod Kumar Singh alias Pandit Singh in Gonda in 1993. He was later acquitted by the court in the matter.

Singh, who has been the president of the WFI since 2011, had threatened Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray of dire consequences if the latter visited Ayodhya. He had also likened former Congress president Rahul Gandhi to Pakistani politician Bilawal Bhutto.

Singh had once targeted his own party government in the state over what he alleged neglecting the flood-affected people in the eastern region.

A graduate in law from Avadh University, Singh has a dominance in Gonda, Baharaich, Ayodhya and nearby districts, and enjoys the image of a muscleman in the region. In 2009, he was elected to the LS on an SP ticket. He joined the BJP in 2014 and emerged victorious from the Kaiserganj seat.

While the protesting wrestlers are reportedly planning to file an FIR against Singh, he has denied the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by female wrestlers. Meanwhile, BJP leaders here feel that it will not be easy to act against Singh, given his clout in the region and also that the next LS elections are not very far.