Arvind Kejriwal extends support to protesting wrestlers

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday met wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and said every Indian who loves the country should stand with them in their struggle.

The wrestlers have been protesting for nearly a week demanding action against Singh, also a BJP MP, on sexual harassment allegations levelled by seven women players. On Friday, the Delhi Police registered two FIRs against the WFI chief.

Extending support to the protesting wrestlers, Kejriwal said those who commit such wrongs against women "should be hanged".

"All these women players who have brought laurels to the country are our daughters, they must get justice. No matter how powerful the accused is, he should be given the harshest punishment," he said in a tweet in Hindi later.

In another tweet, Kejriwal attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue. "Modi ji put an education reformer in jail while providing patronage to his MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing accusations of sexual harassment of female wrestlers," he said. The chief minister was apparently referring to his former deputy Manish Sisodia, who is in jail.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters at his residence in Bishnoharpur, about 40 km from Gonda city in Uttar Pradesh, a defiant Singh said he is ready to face "any kind" of probe but won't resign from his post.

In his address from the protest site, Chief Minister Kejriwal asked people from all over the country to come to Jantar Mantar to support the wrestlers.

He also claimed that the electricity and water supply to the protest venue had been disconnected and supplies like food and mattresses were not being allowed in. Later, in a Delhi government statement, Kejriwal requested the Centre not to cut off food, water and electricity supply to the protesting athletes. He also saluted the athletes for their struggle and assured them of all possible help.

The chief minister said the protesting wrestlers brought laurels to the country and yet had to protest and approach the Supreme Court for action against Singh. He also voiced his "disappointment" in the statement, saying India's celebrated champions had to protest at Jantar Mantar to get an FIR registered against a "harasser" because of "political patronage".

Earlier, addressing the wrestlers at the protest site, Kejriwal said no harm ever comes to any leader of "one party" even if they do something wrong and that is what happened here.

"Their leader is at the centre of sexual abuse allegations, and their whole government system is trying to protect him. If anyone from their party engages in misconduct, instead of giving justice, they will protect them at all costs," he alleged.

In the statement, the chief minister claimed that the prime minister was giving the message to the nation that if there is a complaint against any leader of the BJP, no case would be registered.

"Remember what happened in Lakhimpur Kheri when the farmers were protesting against the three farm Bills? Similarly, today one of their leaders misbehaves with our female wrestlers and the entire political machinery is being used to protect the accused," the chief minister was quoted as saying in the statement.

Kejriwal also went on to say that he believed the struggle by the wrestlers at Jantar Mantar would go on to become another defining moment in Indian sports.

The Delhi Police FIRs against Singh were filed hours after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the force, told a Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha that a case will be registered on Friday.

While the first FIR relates to allegations by a minor wrestler and was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the second was related to outraging modesty.

The chorus of support for the protesting wrestlers has grown in the past couple of days with the Congress party's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Chaudhary, former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, and Delhi government ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj among others visiting Jantar Mantar.