‘Congress Conspiracy’, Says Brij Bhushan After Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia Take Political Plunge

By OB Bureau On Sep 7, 2024

New Delhi: A day after wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined Congress, former MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh Saturday hit out at the move, saying that the protests against him over sexual harassment allegations were nothing but a political conspiracy.

Talking to news agency PTI, he said: “About two years ago, these sportspersons had started a conspiracy on January 18. The day all of this began, I had said that this was a political conspiracy. The Congress was involved in this, including Deepender Hooda and Bhupinder Hooda. The entire script was written. This was not an agitation by sportspersons. And now, after about two years, it has become clear that the Congress was involved in this drama.”

“When they sat on a protest, the nation believed there was truth in it and the Opposition parties rallied against me. They have been lying. I wasn’t there during the day of the incident mentioned in the case,” Singh was quoted as saying.

After joining the Congress, Phogat said that the fight against the former BJP MP would continue and stated that all parties stood with the wrestlers during the protest against Singh except the BJP. The trial in the case against Brij Bhushan began in July, over a year after a chargesheet was filed against Singh in June 2023. The trial court had framed charges against him in May this year, under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty of a woman) and 354A (sexual harassment), after Singh had pleaded not guilty.

The 1,500-page chargesheet against Singh, for alleged sexual harassment, assault and stalking of six women wrestlers, had included statements from at least 22 witnesses from across four states. These included wrestlers, a referee, a coach and a physiotherapist.