4 national women’s associations give call for nationwide protests in support of wrestlers

NEW DELHI — Four national women’s organisations have given a joint call to hold nationwide protests for the immediate arrest of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Haryana minister Sandeep Singh over allegations of sexual harassment made by wrestlers.

In a statement, the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), Coordination POW-PMS-IJM All India Mahila Sanskritik Sanghatan (AIMSS) and the All India Agragami Mahila Sanghatan (AIAMS), expressed solidarity with the protesting wrestlers.

“Hundreds of protests will be held in different parts of the country. Women will hold meetings in villages, bastis and mohallahs to expose the anti-women’ face of the BJP. Lakhs of signatures will be collected which will be sent to the prime minister through district collectors,” the statement said.

The top grapplers of the country have been protesting at Jantar Mantar here since April 23, demanding that the government make public the findings of an oversight panel that investigated the sexual harassment charges against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

On April 28, the Delhi Police had registered two FIRs in connection with the allegations.

Meanwhile, the police earlier in the day stepped up security at Jantar Mantar and in border areas of the city as hundreds of farmers reached the protest site to extend support to the grapplers.