Amidst the ongoing wrestlers’ protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh, a social activist and chief of Atal Jan Shakti Party, Bam Bam Maharaj Nauhatiya has lodged a criminal complaint in a Delhi Court against wrestler Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik for pressing “false allegations” of sexual harassment on Brij Bhushan Singh and also for involvement in delivering a hate speech against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The matter will be heard today (May 25) by an Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at Patiala House Court, Delhi.
According to the plea filed by Bam Bam Maharaj Nauhatiya, a social activist and National Chief of the Atal Jan Shakti Party, the claims made by the accused persons against Brij Bhushan Singh are “false” and are linked in a direct or indirect way, by any “influence or personal gain.”
Nauhatiya’s complaint filed through his counsel Dr AP Singh stated that none of the accused wrestlers are physically weak to be unable to oppose the alleged offence. “The Accused persons are well-known wrestlers who also play international tournaments and any one of them is not physically weak or poor to oppose the alleged offence. So, it is hard to believe that they were harassed by a 66-year-old man—Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh,” the complaint read.
The plea further states that none of the protesting wrestlers protested or lodged a police complaint, or notified the Women Helpline or the State Women Commission, Ministry of Women Welfare, Indian Olympic Association, etc against Singh over the alleged harassment.
The plea also argues that Brijbhushan Sharan Singh’s character had been assassinated as a result of false accusations and actions taken by the accused wrestlers at the protest site.
Furthermore, it has been alleged that the wrestlers’ protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi was just aimed to exert unnecessary pressure on the Police and the Court in order to obtain the desired actions.
“According to the telecast news on National news Channels, MODI TERI KABRA KUDEGI, the slogan was raised openly at the Jantar Mantar protest organised by the wrestlers, which falls under the category of Hate Speech, and it is clear that the protestors threatened to kill Narendra Modi,” the plea contended.
“Hate Speech is a crime in law and a serious offence according to the latest precedents set by the Supreme Court of India,” the petition stated.
It is pertinent to recall that on 28th April 2023, ‘Modi Teri Kabar Khudegi’ slogans were raised at the wrestlers’ protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. These slogans were being raised in the presence of several wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat etc
