In a significant development in Indian wrestling, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court ordered the framing of sexual harassment and other charges against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Singh. This decision was hailed as a major victory for women wrestlers in the country.
Bajrang and Sakshi hail charges against Brij Bhushan Singh
Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, two of India’s most accomplished wrestlers, were among the key figures who welcomed the court’s decision. They had been prominent faces during the year-long protest which started in January 2023 at Jantar Mantar in the national capital.
Bajrang, a Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist, called the decision a big victory for the struggle of women wrestlers. He expressed relief that the daughters of the country, who had to go through such difficult times, would find solace in this decision.
बृजभूषण पर आरोप तय हो गये हैं. माननीय कोर्ट का धन्यवाद. महिला पहलवानों के संघर्ष की बहुत बड़ी जीत है. देश की बेटियों को इतने कठिन समय से गुजरना पड़ा है, पर यह फ़ैसला राहत देगा. जिन लोगों ने महिला पहलवानों को ट्रोल किया था उनको भी शर्म आनी चाहिए.
में अपने आपको भाग्यशाली समझता हूँ… pic.twitter.com/xm4F21czkF
— Harsh Chhikara (@imharshchhikara) May 11, 2024
Sakshi Malik, a Rio Olympic bronze medallist, echoed Bajrang’s sentiments. She thanked the court and highlighted the sacrifices made by the protesters, including giving up stable careers and enduring many nights on the streets in the heat and rain.
“…We thank the honourable court. We had to sleep on the streets for many nights in the heat and rain, had to give up on our stable careers, only then have we been able to take a few steps forward in the fight for justice,” Malik, one of the leading faces in the protest against Singh, wrote on X.
The charges against Brij Bhushan were framed under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
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 president Brij Bhushan Singh. This decision was hailed as a major victory for women wrestlers in the country.){kind=link}