A Majority Supports Protesting Wrestlers' Demand To Arrest Brij Bhushan: IANS-CVoter Survey

IANS 06 June 2023

An exclusive survey, conducted by CVoter for IANS, reveals that a majority of Indians not only support the female wrestlers who have levelled charges of sexual harassment and molestation against Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Parliament (MP) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, but also want the police to arrest him as soon as possible.

One of the key demands of the wrestlers, who were sitting on a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, is the immediate arrest of the BJP MP.

Based on a petition filed in the Supreme Court (SC), the Delhi police registered a series of first information reports (FIRs) against Mr Singh. One of the FIRs has been filed under the stringent POCSO Act that covers sexual crimes against minors.

One question asked during the survey was: Do you support the demand of wrestlers to arrest Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh even before the investigation is complete? Overall, close to 56% of the respondents agreed with the demand while a significantly lower 27% disagreed with the demand to arrest Mr Singh. While close to two-thirds of opposition supporters agree with the demand, more than 43% of NDA (national democratic alliance) spotters also concurred.

A number of wrestlers, including Asian, Commonwealth and Olympic Medal winners like Vinesh Phogat, Sakhshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, initially levelled serious charges against Brij Bhushan Singh in January this year.

A committee was set up by the ministry of sports to investigate the allegations. The matter is now also being monitored by the Supreme Court.

After a lull, the protests have intensified since April. The protesting wrestlers are demanding the immediate arrest of Brij Bhushan Sigh while he continues to claim that he is being framed on false charges.

A large number of Opposition parties and civil society groups have backed the wrestlers ever since they resumed their protests in April against inaction by authorities at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. They were arrested while marching towards the new Parliament building on 28th May when it was formally inaugurated and the protest site has since been cleared.

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Comments

User

angelo.extross

4 months ago

There are umpteen cases when citizens are immediately arrested and put behind bars on the filing of FIR under the POSCO Act.
But here is the case of big fish (powerful BJP MP). The fishing net is one that catches small fish but releases the big fish.

rangarao.ds

4 months ago

"The matter is now also being monitored by the Supreme Court."(?) How? Through whom? According to the press reports, once the Delhi Police informed the court that they had issued an FIR in the case, the SC declared the matter as closed as its orders were complied with by the police. The day on which any court taking suo motu cognizance of alleged criminal offences by the bigwigs and setting the judicial process into motion is too far off to be expected by commoners. More so when it's well known that our police are more politician-friendly, not people-friendly. And those who expect the 'law to take its own course' will realize it when they or their children, god forbid, come to face a similar situation at the hands of political goons.

umeshs62

4 months ago

Law has to take its own course. Even PM can’t interfere when the matter is subjudice. I am flabbergasted that IANS chose to do a survey and incite anger amongst people.

Meenal Mamdani

Replied to umeshs62 comment 4 months ago

Really!! Have you been asleep all this time?
Are you not aware that the police refused to even file a FIR against him despite months of pleading by the wrestlers?
Are you not aware that the Modi govt files charges against persons it deems undesirable or politicaly ant-BJP and puts them behind bars for years while the evidence is being collected, ever soooo slowly that irrespective of whether the charges are proved or not, the process itself is deliberately used as punishment?

It is obvious why the Modi govt will not touch this lecher. He controls political outcomes of about 6 seats.
After the debacle in Karnataka, Modi govt does not want to take risk of losing seats.

rangarao.ds

Replied to Meenal Mamdani comment 4 months ago

Exactly. Let there be a survey whether those who support this type of lechers do shut their mouths and eyes and ears if their children, god forbid, are harassed and molested by such rogues.