New Delhi: Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chairman, who is facing serious allegations of sexual harassment levelled by a group of female wrestlers, on Tuesday broke a reporter’s microphone when he was continuously questioned on the charges made against him and the chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police. Singh, who had just landed at Delhi Airport, apparently lost his cool when he was confronted by a private TV news channel's reporter who posed some tough questions to him. With the reporter trying to get his response regarding the allegations of sexual misconduct and the Delhi Police chargesheet, the BJP MP got angry and replied, “I have nothing to tell you,” and walked away.
Dissatisfied with his reply, the reporter chased Singh and sought to know why he should not be expelled from his party BJP, which further annoyed the WFI boss. A video of the entire incident showed the journalist trying to seek answers from Singh at the airport. He ducked the questions, saying “Mere paas aapke liye kuch masala nahi hain.” (“I don’t have any spice for you.”)
When the reporter continued to press him and asked if he would resign, Singh angrily yelled at her, “Kyun de istifa? Kyun de istifa?” (“Why should I resign?”).
He then raised his voice and said, “Istifa kis baat ki mang rahin hain aap. Chup.” (“On what basis are you asking for the resignation. Shut up.”). Singh got inside his car and slammed the door quickly and, in the process, the reporter's microphone fell on the ground and got damaged.
The video of the entire incident has now gone viral on social media and evoked strong reactions from several quarters.
Brij Bhushan Is A 'Gunda': DCW Chief
Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal saw the video circulating on social media and immediately demanded a prison sentence for Brij Bhushan. "Let me repeat this. Brij Bhushan Singh is a gunda. Imagine when he has the guts to behave like this with a female reporter on camera, how he must be behaving with women off camera! This man’s place is in jail not in the parliament!" Maliwal tweeted.
हद है बेशर्मी और गुंडागर्दी की। चलते कैमरा पर #Brijbhushan एक महिला पत्रकार से ऐसी बदतमीज़ी कर रहा है। जिस तरह इस आदमी को बचाया गया इसका हौसला अब सातवें आसमान पर है। इसे पता है कुछ भी कर लो कोई कुछ नहीं बिगाड़ सकता… pic.twitter.com/NFA5CbFvJN
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) July 11, 2023
BJP Saving Brij Bhushan: Congress
Youth Congress president Srinivas BV also slammed Brij Bhushan's actions and tagged BJP leader Smriti Irani, who is also the Minister of Women and Child Development. "A BJP MP accused of molesting a female journalist on camera with wrestlers is threatening, breaking her mike,
"Can the Minister of Women and Child Development @smritiirani tell whose words are these? Whose 'Sanskar' is it?" Srinivas tweeted.
Delhi Police Files Chargesheet Against WFI Chief
Earlier, the Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against Brij Bhushan Singh, who is” liable to be fulfilled and penalized for offences” of stalking and bothering. The police have cited Sections 506( felonious intimidation), 354( outraging a woman’s modesty), 354 A( sexual importunity), and 354 D( stalking). They also noted that Singh’s importunity in one case was “repeated and continuing.”
On Friday, Brij Bhushan received a summons from a Delhi court regarding the chargesheet where the court requested his presence on July 18. Additionally, Vinod Tomar, a suspended adjunct clerk of the Wrestling Federation of India, has also been summoned.
