“No Embarrassment On My Face Despite Attack”: Wrestling Federation Chief

Indore:

Bharatiya Janata Party Lok Sabha MP and outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Thursday put up a brave front on the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by some women wrestlers and said a media trial should not be conducted in the issue.

Interacting with reporters here, the MP from Kaiserganj in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh also said he would not comment on the matter since it is sub-judice.

“But you see my face. Do you see (effect of) allegations on it?” he asked.

“The court has said don’t conduct a media trial and let the truth be put forth in court,” opined Mr Singh, who earlier attended a Karni Sena event to mark the 31st death anniversary of former Union minister Kalyan Singh Kalvi, the father of the outfit’s late founder Lokendra Kalvi.

Asked why he is not part of the electoral college for the upcoming WFI polls, the MP said it was so because of his “own wish”.

Addressing the gathering at the Karni Sena event, Mr Singh said, “You must have seen there was an attack (allegations of sexual harassment) on me six-seven months ago, but I never let any embarrassment and weakness come on my face.” 

Mr Singh, from the stage, also stopped the crowd from shouting slogans against some wrestlers who held protests against him earlier over the allegations.

He also recited poems of Ramdhari Singh Dinkar and others during his address.

The Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet against the six-time MP on June 15 under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

He is accused of indulging in inappropriate touching, groping, stalking and intimidation, all of which has been denied by the BJP leader.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)