Dangal of sexual harassment
Renowned women wrestlers were forced to up the ante to draw attention to their complaints of sexual harassment. What hope is there for the ordinary Indian woman?;
How many women does it take to get an FIR registered on grounds of sexual harassment? Zero. It actually takes a directive from the apex court of the country to finally set the wheels of justice in motion. I had written about women wrestlers alleging sexual harassment by Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh four months ago in January this year. India’s top women wrestlers have had to sit in a dharna to draw attention to almost a decade of sexual harassment perpetrated by Singh, who is also a BJP MP.
Many of these women are Olympians and winners of prestigious accolades. They have been the pride and source of joy for all Indians as they have represented the country on the international stage. It’s deplorable that they had to wait for four months and then had to finally get the Supreme Court involved to get an FIR filed. Those of us who have basked in the glory brought upon by these sports persons must hang our heads in shame.
On January 18, the country’s most well-known Indian wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Ravi Dahiya, were among 30 wrestlers that alleged that Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and several coaches had sexually harassed many women. The stir had been called off as speedy action had been promised to the grapplers. However, the wrestlers renewed their protest in the last few days citing delays in the report, lack of action, and a loss of faith in the Oversight Committee that was appointed by the government to investigate the allegations. A total of seven women, including a minor, had filed separate police complaints of sexual harassment against Singh and other federation officials. The wrestlers, however, say that the number of aggrieved women could be many, many more. They have also said that since the time of their complaints, coercion, scare tactics, and monetary douceurs have been used to persuade them to withdraw their complaints.
The WFI Chief and the wrestling body face several other allegations such as financial mismanagement, arbitrariness of decisions, and so on. But the most serious allegation, and reason behind the protests, have been the accusation of years of sexual harassment and the construction of an unsafe environment for women wrestlers. Shockingly, some of these incidents of sexual harassment purportedly happened at the MP bungalow in the capital, and also during international and domestic tournaments.
The medal-winning wrestlers at the forefront of the protests state that they were forced into action after receiving several complaints from younger female wrestlers and the protests were done with the view of protecting other women wrestlers. The wrestlers’ site at Jantar Mantar has quickly turned into a melting pot of activists and politicians. Khap leaders have descended, politicians from various parties have rallied behind the protestors, and messages of support have poured in from sports icons and political leaders cutting across party lines.
The Delhi Police finally filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Friday, declaring its intention to file the FIR against Singh. But the battle has only just begun, not just for these women wrestlers but for all women in India. It will be an uphill task to ensure that the guilty pay the price for sexual harassment; something that we are yet to witness in India. So far, the message that the inordinate delays in the wrestlers’ case conveys is acutely disheartening for all women. If a clutch of renowned sports women has to resort to picketing for justice, what hope is there for the ordinary woman? As long as politics keep shielding the accused, whether it’s on grounds of corruption or sexual harassment, there can be no real justice for the people of India. In January, when I wrote on this topic, it was to urge for a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment from companies, administrations, and governments. But you see, the nexus between power, money, and politics is so twisted and evil that bringing the accused to justice will always be a steeplechase. There must be, there has to be, those in power who will bite the bitter pill and amputate these diseased political limbs, even at the threat of electoral loss. Only then, can we say that we are truly committed to building safe environments for women.
The writer is an author and media entrepreneur. Views expressed are personal