BJP putting wrestlers’ honour at stake to save its MP: Cong MLA Krishna Poonia

Poonia, who is president of the Rajasthan State Sports Council, condemned the assault on wrestlers by Delhi police on Wednesday night and urged union home minister Amit Shah to take cognizance and punish the guilty cops who assaulted the wrestlers

Former Olympian and Congress MLA Krishna Poonia on Thursday came out in support of the wrestlers protesting in Delhi and called for the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Former Olympian and Congress MLA Krishna Poonia led a march from the Rajasthan University gate to Gandhi Circle in which hundreds of athletes from different sports bodies of the state participated (Video screengrab)

The wrestlers are protesting in Delhi since April 23 demanding the WFI to resign as they levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Sharan Singh, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Uttar Pradesh.

Poonia, who is president of the Rajasthan State Sports Council, condemned the assault on wrestlers by Delhi police on Wednesday night and urged union home minister Amit Shah to take cognizance and punish the guilty cops who assaulted the wrestlers.

A scuffle allegedly broke out between police and the wrestlers at Jantar Mantar in which the wrestlers claimed they were assaulted by the cops.

Poonia questioned why Singh, who faces grave charges of sexual assault, has not yet been arrested.

“Leaving the BJP, no other political party will put a daughter’s honour at stake for political gains,” Poonia said.

Poonia further condemned attempts to make the protest a “caste issue”.

“This is deplorable. When the wrestlers won medals, they were daughters of India… now they are known by their caste and state. This is an insult to the athletes and an attempt to weaken their protest. The athletes are trying to save wrestling, but the BJP government is trying to save its MP who should be behind bars,” she said.

The protest gained a political image with the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) coming out in support of the wrestlers while also slamming the BJP government on the issue.

The WFI chief, who faces allegations of sexual assault including that of a minor wrestler, has claimed that the charges are cooked up and the protests are a conspiracy against him. Two FIRS have also been filed against him in Delhi.

Poonia had also gone to Delhi last week and joined the wrestlers in their protest in a show of support. On Thursday in Jaipur, she led a march from the Rajasthan University gate to Gandhi Circle in which hundreds of athletes from different sports bodies of the state participated. They shouted slogans against Bhushan and demanded justice.

Talking to the media after the march, Poonia said, “Those daughters who have bought glory to the country are forced to cry on the roads today. They are speaking out against sexual harassment… we are with them in this fight for justice,” she said.

Poonia brushed aside allegations that the wrestlers were playing politics. “These athletes are high-thinking individuals. No daughter will put her honour at stake and fall for political gains.”

She said when the government-appointed committee failed to resolve the issue, the wrestlers were justified in launching a protest and political parties are justified in raising the issue.

“How can they practice for the Olympics under such mental stress… how can they sit quietly?” she said.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Laxmikant Bhardwaj blamed the Congress for politicising the issue.

“The central government is supporting the wrestlers. Three months back, the sports minister held a 12-hour-long meeting with the wrestlers and agreed to make a committee to look into the issue. The people on the committee too were those named by the wrestlers. The report of the committee is with the government and action will be taken,” he said.