Who Is Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, The WFI President In Centre of Sexual Harassment Scandal

BJP Member of Parliament and Chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has change into embroiled in a difficult state of affairs because the Delhi Police have filed two First Data Experiences (FIRs) in opposition to him following allegations of sexual harassment made by a number of feminine wrestlers. Outstanding wrestlers of India, together with Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, have staged protests which have successfully trapped the pinnacle of the wrestling federation, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. In response, Singh has vehemently denied all fees and labeled them as a “political vendetta.” Because the controversy surrounding the WFI chief continues to captivate the sports activities neighborhood, let’s take a more in-depth take a look at this influential determine from the saffron celebration, who enjoys vital recognition in Uttar Pradesh, incomes him the moniker of the “Bahubali” chief.

Why is Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh within the information?

The First Data Experiences (FIRs) filed on this case include severe allegations in opposition to each Brij Bhushan and WFI secretary Vinod Tomar. These allegations embody a variety of misconduct, together with situations the place sexual favours had been demanded in alternate for skilled help, at the very least 15 incidents of sexual harassment involving inappropriate touching similar to working arms over breasts and touching the navel, in addition to varied situations of intimidation, together with stalking. The victims concerned have expressed a shared sense of concern and trauma.

These incidents occurred over a span of a number of years, from 2012 to 2022, and occurred in varied areas similar to eating places, the WFI workplace, tournaments, and warm-up periods. The misconduct occurred throughout each home and worldwide tournaments.

Vinesh Phogat, a extremely completed wrestler who has gained a number of medals on the World Wrestling Championships, bravely got here ahead and revealed that she had skilled extreme psychological harassment, torture, and threats of violence from Brij Bhushan. She confronted further challenges when she reported these incidents to then Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports activities Minister Anurag Thakur. Sadly, her brave actions led to widespread media scrutiny, which overshadowed her efficiency on the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the place she narrowly missed out on a medal.

Six Time MP

He has a powerful political profession, having served as a Member of Parliament six instances. He was elected 5 instances from the Bharatiya Janata Celebration (BJP) and as soon as from the Samajwadi Celebration. His political journey started in 1991 when he secured a seat within the tenth Lok Sabha as a BJP candidate from the Gonda constituency in Uttar Pradesh. He continued his success by being re-elected to the thirteenth Lok Sabha in 1999 from the identical constituency. In 2004, he emerged victorious within the 14th Lok Sabha elections, this time representing the Balrampur constituency in Uttar Pradesh as a member of the BJP. Nevertheless, in a flip of occasions, he confronted expulsion from the BJP for cross-voting in the course of the 2008 Lok Sabha vote of confidence. Subsequently, he joined the Samajwadi Celebration on twentieth July 2008. Undeterred, he contested the 2009 elections and secured a seat within the fifteenth Lok Sabha from the Kaiserganj constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

Following this, he decided to return to the BJP, becoming a member of the celebration simply months earlier than the sixteenth normal election. At the moment, he serves as a Member of Parliament within the seventeenth Lok Sabha, representing the BJP. Alongside his political pursuits, he additionally holds the esteemed place of President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

Slapping wrestler

Including to the controversy, a video has resurfaced on social media exhibiting Singh slapping a younger wrestler throughout an U-15 Wrestling Championship in Ranchi, Jharkhand, in 2021. The video gained consideration as folks shared it on-line amidst the continued protests in opposition to Singh. In his protection, Singh claimed that the wrestler he slapped had been accused of age fraud, and he had disqualified a number of wrestlers for a similar offense. Notably, prime wrestlers like Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat are presently protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding modifications inside the Wrestling Federation of India and the removing of Singh as its President.

Involvement in Babri Masjid Demolition Case

In 1992, he confronted fees within the Babri Masjid Demolition Case and was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) together with 39 others. Initially thought-about the principle suspect, he was ultimately acquitted by the Supreme Courtroom of India in 2020. Moreover, in response to The Wire, he proudly claimed to be the primary individual from his space to be arrested by Mulayam Singh in the course of the motion and the primary individual arrested by the CBI after the controversial construction was demolished.

In 1993, he was additionally accused beneath the Terrorist and Disruptive Actions (Prevention) Act for allegedly helping associates of Dawood Ibrahim within the group of the J.J Hospital Shootout in Mumbai. After spending a number of months in jail, he was acquitted of those fees as properly.

Assertion about committing homicide

Throughout a video interview with The Lallantop in 2022, Brij Bhushan overtly admitted, “I have committed a murder in the past. Regardless of what people may say, I did take someone’s life. I acted swiftly and shot the person who had fatally shot my close friend, Ravinder Singh.”