E-Paper
Wrestlers’ case: File an FIR immediately
These women wrestlers have won the long battle against patriarchy in a fair bout. Denying them justice for the petty ego of a few men in power would be unwise.
For the second time in 2023, India’s top wrestlers have hit the streets to protest against the Wrestling Federation of India president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, for alleged cases of sexual harassment. Singh is also a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh. On Tuesday, I met with the protesting wrestlers and extended solidarity on behalf of Delhi chief minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The legal maxim of “justice delayed is justice denied” applies in this case. The central government has been dragging its feet over a fair investigation into the grave issue of sexual harassment of women wrestlers. Before coming to power, the BJP had solutions for governance issues. But, over the past nine years, it has failed to curb political interference in sports; instead, it has integrated sports and politics, leading to a legal and moral crisis in sport bodies.
The Olympians I met are some of the bravest women in India. They have brought glory to the nation after fighting hard battles against the patriarchal society and strong opponents. Not long ago, the country and politicians wanted to share the moment of glory with them whenever they came back with medals. The Prime Minister (PM) hosted them at his official residence and called them a part of his family. Yet today, the same politicians, and particularly the PM, have abandoned our stars to fight their battle against a man being protected by the State.
Seven women wrestlers, including a minor, have filed a police complaint, but no FIR has been registered by the Delhi Police yet. The Solicitor-General of India informed the Supreme Court (SC) that further investigation is required before filing an FIR. This happened after the government, through deception, tried to bury the matter in January by forming a committee. The committee, headed by MP Mary Kom, has yet to submit its finding, which was due in February.
The SC’s Constitution Bench in 2013 laid guidelines for the mandatory registration of FIR in case of cognisable offence without requiring any preliminary inquiry. However, the Delhi Police, under the administrative control of the Union home ministry, did not register an FIR against the accused. The irony of Amrit Kaal in the mother of democracy lies in the fact that Opposition MPs get suspended from Parliament and are regularly harassed by investigative agencies, but sexual predators go scot-free.
Police barricades and Central Reserve Police Force commandos guard the protest venue at Jantar Mantar. Yet, the wrestlers are putting on a brave face, demanding that the law of the land be followed against the accused. Yet, merely 100 meters away, the accused lives, minus any legal pressure, knowing how well protected he is with the blessing of the government that coined the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” slogan.
This is not the first time these women wrestlers have had a face-off with powerful men. Each one of these brave women is from North India, which is predominantly male space. Still, these wrestlers have not only broken the dogmas of the past by choosing the sport but have inspired millions of other girls through their journey of resilience. They have also developed new norms for girls in India, setting them free to achieve their dreams. So, it is unfortunate to see such strong women being victimised by denying justice at the hands of an insensitive government.
The other important issue that has often come up during the protest by wrestlers is the taboo associated with political support. Earlier this year, the protesting wrestlers were ill-advised to avoid any political engagement in their protest. While they cannot be blamed for their naivety, in hindsight, the absence of political backing only helped the government and the accused avoid the ire of the people.
The consciousness of our democratic nation remains alive through public-facing politics since it essentially includes the critical function of democratic accountability, without which we see decay in our institutions. But, of course, any tyrannical government run in an autocratic fashion would always prefer non-politicisation to avoid democratic accountability. We must be cautious to avoid this trap of non-politicisation.
It is important now that an FIR is registered immediately for justice to prevail and, more importantly, for millions of girls and their parents who are following the treatment being meted out to national heroes on the streets of Delhi, don’t lose hope.
These women wrestlers have won the long battle against the prevailing patriarchy in a fair bout. Therefore, denying them justice for the petty ego of a few men in power would be unwise.
Reena Gupta is a spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party.
The views expressed are personal
