Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is facing backlash on social media for allegedly breaking a reporter's mic after he was asked a question about the charge sheet filed by the Delhi Police on the basis of the sexual harassment allegations levelled by some top wrestlers.
Singh, who has headed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for 12 years, has been charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC)’s sections 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354A (sexual harassment) and 354D (stalking). A conviction under section 354 carries a maximum jail term of five years, three years under section 354A and three years under section 354D.
When a Times Now reporter asked Singh whether he would resign as a member of Parliament, a visibly irked lawmaker said, “Why would I resign? Why are you asking for resignation?”
As the reporter tried to highlight the grave charges he was facing, the angry MP said, “Chup (Shut up)”.
The reporter chased Singh to his car to get an answer but the outgoing chief of the wrestling federation slammed the door, breaking the reporter's mic.
Sharing the video of the incident, Indian Youth Congress chief Srinivas BV wrote, “A BJP MP accused of molesting wrestlers is threatening a female journalist on camera, breaking her mic.”
{{/usCountry}}Sharing the video of the incident, Indian Youth Congress chief Srinivas BV wrote, “A BJP MP accused of molesting wrestlers is threatening a female journalist on camera, breaking her mic.”
{{/usCountry}}“Can the Minister of Women and Child Development @smritiirani tell whose words are these? Whose sanskar is it?”
Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal hit out at Singh saying he is a 'gunda'.
“Imagine when he has the guts to behave like this with a female reporter on camera, how he must be behaving with women off camera! This man’s place is in jail not in the parliament!”
A senior Delhi Police officer said investigators found evidence to charge Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh under sections relating to the use of criminal force to outrage modesty and sexual harassment in complaints by four woman wrestlers. In the other two cases, the officer stressed that there was evidence to charge the WFI chief for allegedly use of force to outrage the modesty of a woman, sexual harassment and stalking.
Earlier in the day, the Congress questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" over the sexual harassment charge against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and said the government is facing a test from India's daughters. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate asked when will Prime Minister Modi expel Singh from the BJP and when will he be arrested.
"Why is Prime Minister Modi silent on the issue of sexual harassment against women sportspersons? When will Modi ji expel MP Brij Bhushan Singh from the party? When will Brij Bhushan Singh be arrested? When will the Modi government stop giving protection and patronising Brij Bhushan Singh," Shrinate asked.
"You and your government are facing a test Mr Modi, not from the Opposition but from India's daughters," the Congress spokesperson said.