Wrestling federation needs major clean-up

Election results show that it is the Brij Bhushan Singh-dominated system that has won.

The outcome of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) election shows the stranglehold of former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on the organisation and on the sport, in spite of the fact that he has faced serious and credible charges of sexual harassment. An associate of Brij Bhushan Singh, Sanjay Kumar Singh, was elected last week with overwhelming support, and most newly elected office-bearers are from his panel. It was Brij Bhushan who flashed the victory sign and was garlanded and felicitated more than the new incumbent. He accepted the victory as his own, and the arrogance and callousness that he showed when he faced the charges, including charges under POCSO provisions, were evident again.

It is a setback for the wrestlers who came forward with harassment charges against Brij Bhushan Singh, campaigned against him, and staged public protests over many weeks, demanding his arrest and prosecution. Disappointed and frustrated over the outcome of the election, Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik announced her retirement from wrestling. Another wrestler, Bajrang Punia, has returned his Padma Shri. Sakshi, Punia and Vinesh Phogat had spearheaded the agitation seeking justice for Brij Bhushan’s purported victims.

They had also demanded a clean-up of the WFI but Thursday’s results show that it is the Brij Bhushan Singh-dominated system that has won. It is not just a defeat for the wrestlers but a setback for the cause of justice. The Delhi police, which investigated the charges, have found Brij Bhushan Singh liable of prosecution on grounds of sexual harassment, stalking and molestation. But the investigation has been slow and there is still no certainty that it will proceed fairly and reach a just conclusion. As the wrestlers have pointed out, some of the women who complained against Brij Bhushan Singh have withdrawn their charges, allegedly under pressure.

Brij Bhushan Singh’s victory is attributed mainly to the political clout that he wields on account of his being a BJP MP and his ability to influence elections in some constituencies in UP. This is unfortunate because the government has always claimed that it attaches utmost importance to women’s safety and security and the new, revamped criminal laws prioritise them.

The wrestlers say the government had given an assurance to them during their talks that no person associated with Brij Bhushan Singh would be allowed to become the president of the WFI. But they feel let down now. A new dimension has been added to the matter now with the government suspending the newly elected body, but its implications are yet to be known.