Delhi Police charge sheet against WFI chief govt's attempt to save its man: Rakesh Tikait

The Delhi Police's charge sheet pertaining to alleged sexual harassment of wrestlers by BJP leader and outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is the government's plan to save him, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said on Thursday. Tikait, an influential leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), said the farmer community will continue supporting the protesting wrestlers. The BKU has been supporting the the country's top grapplers in their fight against the BJP leader.

The police on Thursday recommended dropping the stringent POCSO case against Singh, but charged him with sexual harassment and stalking six women wrestlers. Singh has so far denied all charges against him.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) entails a minimum imprisonment of three years, depending on what section the crime falls in. “The group of wrestlers has been protesting for months, what else can they do?... And the government saves its men… The whole plan was to save him (Singh). The wrestlers have testified, protested for months, how much more can they struggle... four or five months before (they) break the protestors?” Tikait said.

“When the BJP has divided leaders of other parties and industrialists and taken them into its fold, these (wrestlers) are just kids and those with families would break down,” the farmer leader told PTI.

Meanwhile, he said the BKU will be holding a major event in Uttarakhand from Friday. The programme will be held on June 16, 17 and 18, and will be focused on farmers issues, he added.

The Union government had assured the agitating wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and fellow Olympian Vinesh Phogat, that the charge sheet would be filed by June 15 following which they had suspended their stir. They were demanding Singh's arrest on allegations of sexual harassment against seven wrestlers, including the minor.