LUCKNOW The ongoing controversy over charges of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP’s Kaiserganj MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh seems to have triggered a “political battle”.
While protesting wrestlers took out a candlelight march at India Gate in New Delhi on Tuesday in support of their demand for action against the WFI chief, Brij Bhushan has reportedly planned a Jan Chetna Maha Rally at Ram Katha Park in Ayodhya on June 5 to showcase his political strength for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Invitations for the event have been sent to seers, experts in the field of law, education and social work in several states. An official invitation (in possession of HT) has been sent to these people by international wrestling coach and Baghpat district wrestling association secretary, Dharmendra Singh.
The rally is reportedly the first political activity of Singh, who has been staying away from political programmes since the Delhi Police registered two FIRs against him earlier this month. But the local BJP unit and the seers’ community in Ayodhya are yet to decide on the rally as they haven’t received an official invitation so far.
“We have not received any invite from Brij Bhushan for the rally. He has not even discussed the issue (rally) with us till date,” said Raju Das, priest of Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya. He made it clear that seers will think whether to attend the rally or not when they get the invite.
{{/usCountry}}“We have not received any invite from Brij Bhushan for the rally. He has not even discussed the issue (rally) with us till date,” said Raju Das, priest of Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya. He made it clear that seers will think whether to attend the rally or not when they get the invite.
{{/usCountry}}Bal Krishna Vaish, mandal president, BJP, Ayodhya, also confirmed that the local unit hasn’t received any instruction from the party about the proposed rally. “We haven’t received any instructions from the party for Brij Bhushan’s rally. If we get any instructions from the party, we will decide accordingly,” he said.
“It is only a matter of time. Several days are left for the rally. If Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh meets seers and urges them to attend the rally, then majority of them will share the dais with him,” said an Ayodhya seer.
UP Wrestling Association secretary Prem Kumar said besides people from all walks of life, wrestlers from all parts of the country too have been invited to attend the rally. “The other aim of the rally is to tell people about the truth behind this conspiracy of sexual harassment against the WFI chief. It all started when these agitating wrestlers were asked to follow rules and regulations of WFI,” he said.
It is learnt that even when the allegations of sexual harassment were first levelled against Brij Bhushan this January, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games medallist wrestler Divya Kakran had defended Singh, saying she has not experienced or witnessed any instances of the same by Singh during her decade-long experience of attending camps organised by the governing body.
Meanwhile, more people within the WFI and the UPWA said it is a well-planned conspiracy to undo the “good things” done by Brij Bhushan in the field of wrestling over the past one decade. “Look at the wrestling status of India as well as wrestlers, which has gone up manyfold in the last 10 years or so. The credit goes to Brij Bhushan. In fact, a few powerful people are behind the wrestlers’ protests,” said one Sandeepan of WFI, adding, “Let the WFI elections take place in a few weeks’ times, the truth would prevail.”