Not 10 or 100, we are speaking of 1,000 women, probably more,” said world wrestling champion Vinesh Phogat to me, fighting back tears. “There is not a young girl who has come through the system of the Wrestling Federation of India [WFI], who has not been harassed by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh”. My jaw dropped. She and Sakshi Malik, an Olympics medallist, were squatting on the pavement as they spoke to me. They had spent the night there. And then, they posed the question that should give every Indian woman pause: “If women like us, who have achieved so much, who have won medals for the country, are ignored, can you imagine what happens to other women who try and speak out against sexual harassment?”
It is an absolute travesty that while the wrestlers have been on the road, literally, fighting for equality, dignity and protection, only a handful of sportspersons — Abhinav Bindra, Sania Mirza, Kapil Dev and Neeraj Chopra — have shown them public solidarity. Where are the cricket champions? Where are the movie stars?
And the bigger shame is how the Delhi Police initially dragged its feet in registering a first information report (FIR). The women had to petition the Supreme Court, and the government’s law officer had to give a personal assurance before there was any movement on even officially registering the criminal complaint. It is understandable, then, that in a press conference held minutes after the proceedings in the apex court, the players said they had little faith in any committee or individual, and would only trust the top court to deliver them justice.
Let’s ask why.
Is it because the accused is an all-powerful parliamentarian from the ruling party, a henchman with multiple charges against him, including attempted murder?
As a young reporter, one of my first assignments was a court case, involving Singh and former Union minister Kalpnath Rai. They were charged by the Central Bureau of Investigation under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act for alleged links to underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim. Singh, a six-time Member of Parliament, was eventually acquitted in the case, but always casually brandished his criminal credentials. His 2019 election affidavit reveals four active criminal cases against him, including robbery. Sexual abuse may soon be added to that list, only because of the courageous fight for justice by Indian wrestlers.
Phogat and Malik, who have broken down more than once during their protest, explain that the most challenging thing is to get young women to come on record against Singh. There are two reasons for this — how threatening Singh seems to their sense of security and that he can directly impact their professional careers.
The basic rule of the prevention of sexual harassment law is that a man accused of harassment cannot continue to be in a position of power while being investigated. In this case, Singh was asked to step aside as the head of WFI when the wrestlers first took to the streets, and the inquiry was announced.
But, as Phogat and Malik explain, he continued to control the federation. The WFI website did not bother to remove his name as their chief right through the protests, almost taunting the athletes with an I-dare-you status quo. Right through the inquiry, the wrestlers told me that Singh was hands-on with all major sporting events. This, they say, made it impossible for several women to go on the record against him. “Many of us come from villages, and families, where the stigma around these conversations is still very big,” says Phogat, explaining the challenges. “Bhushan is still in control.”
Singh, who has massive influence and control in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, is one of the few Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders who once openly targeted chief minister Yogi Adityanath for his performance in handling floods in the state. With five terms in the Lower House from the BJP and one with the Samajwadi Party, he is perfectly aware of his influence and power. No wonder, then, that he once casually confessed on video to having shot a man to protect an associate. The bottom line is that the inquiry panel cannot be expected to oversee an impartial investigation as long as a gangster-politician controls WFI remotely.
The protesting women wrestlers have been called many names during their agitation, including political pawns for the Opposition.
In fact, during the first spell of their protests a few months ago, they specifically asked political parties to stay away. Despite the name-calling and criticism — including unfortunate comments from the Indian Olympics Association president PT Usha who said that the protest had tarnished the image of the country — the players refused to back off.
The last word on this charge belongs to Malik: “Please tell me what I gain by sitting here on the road, taking on one of the most powerful men in India, what do I get?” Their vocal anger is in sharp contrast to the studied silence of far too many decision-makers.
At the moment, that silence is louder.
Barkha Dutt is an award-winning journalist and author
The views expressed are personal
