- Friday, April 19, 2024
Even though I am a part of this government, it has to be accepted that the way the government should have communicated with the wrestlers has not happened, Munde said.
By: Shubham Ghosh
While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been accused of remaining silent on the escalating protests seeking arrest of the chief of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is also one of its parliamentarians, voices have started emerging from the saffron party in support of India’s women wrestlers who have been protesting under challenging circumstances.
This week, Pritam Munde, a BJP MP from the western state of Maharashtra, said cognisance should be taken of a complaint made by any woman and the authorities can decide later whether the complaint is proper or not.
She became the first woman politician to speak out on the issue which has snowballed ever since the protesting wrestlers reached Haridwar in the northern state of Uttarakhand to throw their hard-earned medals into the Ganges river in protest against Singh who has been accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers. They eventually did not do it following intervention by farmer leaders and local people.
Munde, who represents Beed constituency, told reporters in Beed district, “I, not as a member of Parliament, but as a woman, say that if such a complaint comes from any woman, then its cognisance should be taken. It should be verified,” according to news agency PTI.
“After verification, authorities should decide whether it is proper or improper, she said, adding that “If cognisance is not taken, then it is not welcomed in democracy.”
The 40-year-old lawmaker also referred to the United World Wrestling’s (UWW) “disappointment over the lack of results of the investigations” against Singh and a threat to suspend the Indian federation if its elections are not held within 45 days, saying “it will be a publicity stunt” if she sought an inquiry committee, as the cognisance of the case has now reached the international level.
“Even though I am a part of this government, it has to be accepted that the way the government should have communicated with the wrestlers has not happened,” she said.
Munde, daughter of late BJP stalwart from Maharashtra Gopinath Munde who represented the same constituency before her and sister of BJP national secretary Pankaja Munde, said for the saffron party, the country comes first, followed by the party and the self.
She said even if it is last, one’s individual thoughts are important and that attention should be paid if any big movement of such level was going unnoticed.
Before Munde, another BJP MP from the northern state of Haryana has also extended sympathy for the protesting wrestlers. Brijendra Singh said in a tweet that he felt the pain and helplessness of the wrestlers which forced them to the brink of throwing away their lifetime of their hard work — the medals won on various international stages.
In a tweet, Singh, who represents Hisar constituency, said, “I feel the pain and helplessness of our wrestlers, forcing them to the brink of throwing away their lifetime of hard work- the medals from Olympics, CWGs, Asian Games in the holy Ganga. Absolutely heartbreaking,” Brijendra Singh tweeted.
I feel the pain and helplessness of our wrestlers forcing them to the brink of throwing away their lifetime of hardwork- the medals from Olympics, CWGs, Asian Games in the holy Ganga.
Absolutely heartbreaking.
— Brijendra Singh (@BrijendraSpeaks) May 30, 2023
Haryana on Thursday (1) saw protests staged by farmers in front of offices of government officials over the issue after a khap mahapanchayat was held in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh. In Hisar, effigies were also burnt. Another mahapanchayat was set to be held in Haryana on Friday (2).
The home minister of Haryana, Anil Vij, had also proclaimed his support to the agitating sportspersons in early May and offered to “take up the matter at the higher level so that it can be resolved amicably”.
The protest turned worse last Sunday (28) when the wrestlers tried to hold a peaceful march towards the new parliament building in New Delhi which was being inaugurated by prime minister Narendra Modi. The Delhi Police personnel stopped and detained them and filed a case of rioting against them. They were later released. The accused WFI chief was present in the parliament then.
Indian sports minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday (31) urged the protesting wrestlers to be patient and have faith in the Supreme Court, the sports ministry, and Delhi Police.
The Delhi Police have said the cases filed by the women wrestlers are still being considered and status reports are being filed before the court.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said the way the wrestlers were treated by the Delhi Police during their protest march was “very disturbing” and that charges brought by the wrestlers should be followed up on by an unbiased criminal probe.
Singh on Wednesday said he will hang himself if a single allegation is proven against him.
