BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexually harassing female wrestlers, announced on Sunday that he intends to run for the Kaisarganj seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at a rally in the Balpur area, Singh chose not to directly address the allegations made against him by the wrestlers and instead focused his criticism on the Congress party, highlighting issues such as the Emergency, the Ram temple, and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, as reported by news agency PTI.
Singh began his 23-minute speech with an Urdu couplet, expressing his resilience in the face of adversity. When asked about his constituency choice for the upcoming elections, he confirmed his intention to contest from Kaisarganj.
While talking to reporters at the Sanyukt Morcha Sammelan in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh BJP MP and WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh exuded confidence that BJP will return to power at the Centre with an absolute majority in 2024.
Regarding the ongoing wrestlers' protest and his silence on the matter, Singh stated that he is awaiting the court's verdict. Despite the Delhi Police investigating the case and planning to file a chargesheet by June 15, Singh remains defiant.
The protesting wrestlers alleged that Singh is exerting influence to pressure the victims of sexual harassment and coerce them into changing their statements. They issued a warning that they would resume their protest if decisive action is not taken against Singh by June 15.
Singh has consistently denied the allegations, asserting that Congress leaders from Haryana conspired against him due to his reforms as the WFI chief.
During his rally speech, Singh proclaimed the BJP's inevitable return to power in the 2024 elections, while criticizing the Congress party. He accused the Congress of the country's division during the Partition in 1947, the loss of territory to Pakistan in 1962, and the failure to settle the score after the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Singh suggested that with a prime minister like Narendra Modi, the land lost would have been reclaimed.
According to PTI, Singh also condemned the Congress for imposing the Emergency in 1975 and for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He praised Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, attributing the progress made in resolving the Kashmir issue to their leadership.
Mohan Yadav, the Higher Education Minister of Madhya Pradesh, expressed satisfaction with the performance of the BJP-led government and emphasized the success of the Agnipath scheme. Yadav highlighted the opportunities the scheme provides for young people to pursue careers in medicine, engineering, and other fields, along with the discipline instilled during their training.
Singh had earlier sought the Ayodhya district administration's permission to conduct a rally on June 5, but was denied. He later postponed the rally due to the ongoing police investigation into the allegations made by the wrestlers.
(With Inputs From PTI)