The Centre needs to get a grip on WFI affairs

Allegations of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh have rocked the sport over the past few days. These allegations, it must be noted, come from reputed prize-winning sportspersons and should not be brushed under the carpet. These are accusations coming from Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya, and Deepak Punia, who signed the letter to the IOA President, PT Usha, complaining against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. All of them brought glory to the nation at world-class sports meets and have been lauded for their efforts by the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, and others. In their letter to the IOA President, these star sports persons have asked her to disband the Federation. This itself tells us about the grave nature of the charges. The Wrestling Federation of India, instead of approaching the issue with some measure of transparency and honesty, dismissed all accusations of sexual harassment as motivated by a “hidden agenda”, in its lengthy reply to the Union Sports Ministry. This peremptory dismissal of the allegations of these sportspersons, if anything, lends credence to the charges put forward by them against the BJP MP, who has now been asked to step aside. Sadly, the protesting wrestlers are expressing their anger, resentment, and demand for action publicly at Jantar Mantar. Disappointingly, the Sports Ministry under Anurag Thakur has not grappled with the problem in the manner that one would expect the Central government to do. The tainted MP should have been eased out right away pending a dispassionate probe, without having to wait for things to escalate. Instead, we see him digging his heels in and giving himself a clean chit seen from the way the Wrestling Federation silenced all accusations in its blanket, summary denial. Anurag Thakur has not exactly covered himself with glory by not forcing the MP out immediately and simply continued to hold talks with the protesting wrestlers. What is lacking in the Sports Minister’s approach is sensitivity to the issue, and this puts a question mark on the integrity of any sort of inquiry being initiated by him. It is being said that other wrestlers have also stepped forward with similar accusations of sexual harassment against the BJP MP. What the wrestlers should get is a fair hearing so that their grievances are redressed. Their demand for a fair inquiry is a logical expectation that must be met with a sense of immediacy. In their letter, the medal-winning wrestlers also wrote about financial misappropriation, a charge, which needs to be probed. Apart from initiating a legal remedy immediately, the Sports Ministry also needs to take up a complete overhaul of the Wrestling Federation of India and take a thorough look at such issues in other sports as well. Additionally, male administrators and coaches must step back and yield space to women at all levels. Only then, will women sports persons feel comfortable and secure—the very least that one would expect from the government is to ensure such an environment is provided.