Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)- led dispensation over the issue of allegations of sexual harassment levelled by women wrestlers against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh, who is also a BJP MP, and asked if this’ is a new India’, where Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and immediate arrest apply to all accused other than Singh because he belongs to the saffron party.
In a tweet, Sibal said,
Brij Bhushan Singh :
Does application of POCSO and immediate arrest after 164 statements apply to all accused other than Brij Bhushan
Because he :
1)Belongs to BJP
2)iconic women wrestlers don’t matter ; votes matter !
3) Government doesn’t care
Is this my new India ?
— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) May 31, 2023
Sibal, a senior advocate who represented the grapplers in the Supreme Court, launched an attack on the government after the situation intensified yesterday, when the wrestlers went to Haridwar, situated on the banks of the sacred Ganga river, to immerse their World and Olympic medals in the holy water, but were stopped by farmer leader Naresh Tikait on the condition of a five-day deadline.
Last month, the Delhi Police registered two First Information Reports (FIR) against Singh. The first FIR pertains to allegations levelled by a minor which has been registered under POCSO along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code concerning outraging modesty. The second one has been registered over complaints by adults pertaining to outraging modesty.
Meanwhile, Singh had claimed that the POCSO Act has been ‘misused’ against him and said that ‘he will force the government to change it’ under the leadership of seers.
As ace wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat had deferred their plans to immerse their Olympic and world championship medals in the Ganga, and announced they will stage a hunger strike ‘until death’ at India Gate, security has been beefed up around the area.
The wrestlers have been protesting for over a month in Delhi demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.