Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi said the BJP was criticized Monday after a Delhi court acquitted former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The verdict marks a significant turning point in a high-profile legal battle that pitted India's top female athletes against a powerful political figure. The outcome fuels ongoing tensions between the opposition and the ruling party regarding the protection of women's rights, and judicial impartiality.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a former BJP MP, was acquitted in a sexual-harassment case brought by six women wrestlers [1]. The legal proceedings in New Delhi concluded with the court clearing the former wrestling federation head of the charges [2].
Following the announcement, Gandhi said the BJP's record on gender equality was attacked. She highlighted the contradiction between the party's public rhetoric on women's empowerment, and the outcome of this specific case.
Singh responded to the legal conclusion by addressing his own state of mind during the process. "I never felt guilty," Singh said [3].
The case had drawn national attention, centering on allegations of misconduct within the Wrestling Federation of India. The acquittal of one person [2] in this matter has prompted the opposition to question the integrity of the process, and the influence of political affiliations in the courtroom.
Gandhi's comments reflect a broader strategy by the Congress party to challenge the BJP's narrative on social justice and women's safety. The reaction from the opposition suggests that the legal conclusion of the case will not end the political controversy surrounding the allegations made by the athletes.
“"I never felt guilty"”
The acquittal of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh transforms a legal dispute into a political liability for the BJP, as the opposition uses the verdict to argue that the ruling party protects its own members over victims of harassment. This development likely ensures that the 'wrestlers' case' will remain a central talking point for the Congress party in its efforts to mobilize female voters and challenge the government's claims of promoting women's empowerment.
