Women’s groups under the aegis of Stree Mukti Andolan Sampark Samiti staged demonstrations outside the District Collector’s office on Friday to protest the alleged sexual violence that seven wrestlers were subjected to by the former president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Pune’s women’s groups were part of the nationwide demonstration.
Women’s groups and allied organisations across the country have demanded the immediate arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, scrapping of the Oversight and IOA committees which allegedly failed to comply with the law and an impartial and fair investigation and early charge sheet in all the cases.
In Pune, the samiti representatives submitted a memorandum of their demands and letter bearing signatures that have been collected from citizens in the last week to the authorities at the district collectorate, Alka Pavangadkar, member of the Samiti said.
“We have been shocked to learn that since February 2011, when he took over as president, he has, with utter impunity, indulged in multiple serious acts of sexual violence on women of all ages, not even sparing under 18-year-old girls. Whether trainees or contestants or champions, he grabbed them whenever he got a chance and lost no opportunity to get intimate with them. Despite such conduct, Singh consistently held the post of president, WFI, till May 2023,” stated the letter.
