The Congress on Thursday slammed the Centre after the Delhi Police sought to withdraw charges under the the POCSO Act against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence despite a complaint by the minor wrestler.
Speaking to the media at the party headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said: “Delhi Police filed a charge sheet of 1,000 pages against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh today. However, in 500 pages, Delhi Police have focused on how it is not a POCSO matter and gave Singh a clean chit in the minor’s case.
“She highlighted how a minor girl had to fight ‘the powerful and mighty’, while the entire machinery came out to prove her wrong.
“It is up to the people to decide what this suggests. The BJP’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ slogan has been changed to Beti Darao, Brijbhushan Bachao,” she said.
Targeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Delhi Police, Shrinate said: “Shah’s Delhi Police didn’t arrest or question Singh for over 45 days so that he can tamper evidence and pressurise the witnesses and complainants.
“The Congress leader went on to say that the Union Sports Minister had given a clean chit earlier before the charge sheet was even filed by Delhi Police.
“The Prime Minister has remained silent for over 50 days. The BJP ecosystem kept on targeting the wrestlers. BJP has a history of saving the perpetrators of crimes in cases of atrocity against women. This is a script under which they function.
“We hope that the court will take cognizance of the statement of the minor under Section 164. It is the same Delhi Police which gave clean chit. We believe that the court will deliver justice. But people must know that if you question the government what will happen,” Shrinate added.
Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala dubbed the Delhi Police’s action as “black day” for Indian sports and said that the real slogan is ‘Beti Darao, Brijbhushan Bachao’.
In a tweet, Surjewala said, “Today is a black day for Indian Sports. Today, Law of the land has crumbled and been crushed under the bulldozer of BJP’s politics. Today, the cry for justice for India’s daughters has been consigned to the dustbin and buried by the Modi government.”
He said that today, the entire government apparatus has been pressed into service to save the ‘dictator’s’ favourite, one who is accused of sexual exploitation of our wrestlers.
“Today, India’s proud ‘Medal Winners’ have been told that there is no ‘justice’ for them or even a semblance thereof. Today, a clear message has been sent out that those sitting in citadels of power in Delhi can’t be ‘touched’ by the process of law. But don’t forget… the court of the people of India will deliver justice to our daughters,” Surjewala, who is also the Karnataka Congress in-charge, said.
Even Mahila Congress chief Netta D’Souza slammed the BJP saying, “BJP’s slogan – ‘Beti ko dhamkao, Brijbhushan ko bachao’. The day the minor wrestler daughter’s statement was changed, it became clear on the same day that the entire system is ready to go to any extent to save Brij Bhushan (Sharan Singh).
“After all, how can a daughter stand before the arrogance of this shameless government? The way the Delhi Police have acted in this case, will any family now muster the courage to demand justice against a criminal? Why was the arrest not made in the minor’s case till months after the FIR was lodged? The arrogant king listens, justice will be done in the public court.”
The remarks by the Congress leaders came after the Delhi Police on Thursday sought cancellation of the FIR in connection to the minor wrestler’s complaint alleging sexual harassment by Singh.
The 550-page report filed by the police before the Patiala House Court said that no corroborative evidence was found in the allegations levelled by the minor.
“In the POCSO matter, after completion of investigation, we have submitted a police report under section 173 CrPC requesting for a cancellation of the case based upon statements of the complainant, i.e., the father of the victim and the victim herself,” Delhi Police said.
The court posted the matter to be heard next on July 4.
Also on Thursday, the Delhi Police in court submitted its over 1,000 pages charge sheet before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mahima Rai of the Rouse Avenue Court.The charge sheet was filed for offences under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (making sexually coloured remarks), 354D (stalking) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Singh.
And, for offences under Sections 109 (offer a bribe), 354, 354A, 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC against accused former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar.
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