After top wrestlers resumed their protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Sunday, accusing him of sexual harassment, Singh on Thursday reacted to the charges on camera.
Speaking to news agency PTI, Singh claimed that he would prefer dying than feeling helpless, without directly acknowledging or refuting the charges levelled against him.
"Mitron, the day I analyse my life to check what I found and lost and the day I realise that my days of putting up with a struggle have come to an end, the day I realise that I am helpless... I would prefer to not live a life like this and would rather prefer to embrace death," WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said in Hindi.
Singh has been accused of sexually harassing several women wrestlers including a minor during his tenure at the WFI and yet no FIR has been filed against him even though the wrestlers had brought the matter to the attention of the Delhi Police, the Delhi Commission For Women and Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur.
The fresh protest against Singh has been spearheaded by Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The protesting wrestlers on Monday threatened to approach the Supreme Court if an FIR is not lodged against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh even as Sports Ministry stalled the Federation's election on May 7 and asked the IOA to form an ad-hoc committee to conduct polls.
Meanwhile, several politicians from across parties have publicly supported the cause of the wrestlers and demanded action against Singh.
AAP MP Sushil Gupta on Monday extended support to agitating wrestlers and demanded that the Delhi Police "immediately" lodge an FIR against Singh. CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat on Tuesday met agitating wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, at Jantar Mantar here and said that she fully supported their demands.
Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday asserted that a case should be registered in connection with sexual harassment allegations levelled against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh by wrestlers.
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday said that an FIR is not being registered against Singh despite strong protests by women wrestlers in Delhi over allegations of sexual harassment because he belongs to the ruling party.
The Supreme Court also issued notices to the Delhi government and others on a plea by the wrestlers, saying the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by them are "serious" and require its consideration.
(With inputs from agencies)
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