Former Indian wrestler and Olympic medalist Sakshee Malikkh reacted to the BJP's decision to field former wrestling body chief Bri Bhushan Singh's son Karan Bhushan Singh as its candidate from Kaiserganj seat in Uttar Pradesh. Brij Bhushan Singh is an accused in a sexual harassment case.
“Daughters of the country lost, Brij Bhushan won. We all risked our careers and spent many days sleeping on the streets in the sun and rain. To date, Brij Bhushan has not been arrested. We were not demanding anything, we were just demanding justice,” said Sakshee Malikkh wrote on X.
Six-time MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh faced a huge political storm last year when several protesters, including Olympic medalists Sakshee Malikk and Bajrang Punia, along with Vinesh Phogat, took to the streets of Delhi to protest against Mr Singh and him accused of sexual harassment and sexual harassment. inappropriate conduct during his tenure as President of the Wrestling Federation of India. He has denied all allegations against him in the case, which is pending in court.
A Delhi court last week dismissed a plea by Mr Singh seeking further investigation of evidence on his whereabouts on the date – September 7, 2022 – of an alleged sexual harassment incident.
He had told the court that he was not in Delhi when one of the complaining wrestlers was sexually harassed.
Mr Singh has a strong influence in Kaiserganj constituency and has represented Gonda and Balrampur constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.
The BJP knows the political clout the six-time MP has in the area. That's why it chose his son as his replacement. Sources in the BJP earlier told NDTV that the party leadership had spoken to him about the issue and that the heavyweight politician was still pushing for a voting pass.
His eldest son Pratik Bhushan Singh is an MLA. Karan currently heads the Uttar Pradesh wrestling body.
Meanwhile, celebrations took place at the MP's house after the BJP announced his son as its candidate for the constituency. “I am grateful to the party leadership and the public for giving me the opportunity to serve the people here,” Karan Bhushan Singh said.
Brij Bhushan Singh said, “I am not bigger than the party… I welcome the party's decision.”
This is the first time that Karan Bhushan Singh is contesting elections.