WFI row: Police yet to record statements of protesting wrestlers
What's the story
Despite being 10 days into the protest and three days since registering FIRs against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over alleged sexual harassment, the police have not yet recorded the statements of the protesting wrestlers.
Moreover, no notice has been issued to Singh, who on Monday said the wrestlers' protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar was "expanding like Shaheen Bagh."
Context
Why does this story matter?
The Delhi Police registered two FIRs against Singh on Friday after being pulled up by the Supreme Court.
Seven women wrestlers—reportedly including a minor—lodged sexual harassment complaints against Singh on April 21, but an FIR wasn't registered until a week later.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP has been the WFI chief for 12 years, and the ruling party is accused of shielding him.
Details
Why protest continuing despite FIRs: Singh
Likening the wrestlers' protest to the 2019-20 agitation at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Singh questioned the rationale behind continuing the protest despite the FIRs being registered.
He alleged that the protest was "paid," and the ulterior motive behind it was not to get him to resign but to target the BJP.
Statement
Forces behind farmers, Shaheen Bagh protests all visible: Singh
Singh said, "Tukde-tukde gang, the forces which were active in Shaheen Bagh, in the farmers' protest, those who attack PM Narendra Modi from time to time, attack the party, all those forces are visible."
He leveled similar accusations against the wrestlers in January before they called off their protest after the government pacified them. However, they resumed their protest after three months of inaction.
Congress
Conspiracy by Congress, Deepender Hooda: Singh
On Sunday, Singh alleged that the protesting wrestlers belong to the wrestling academy of Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda.
He said 90% of athletes and their guardians believe in the WFI.
In January, too, Singh claimed the Congress and Hooda were using the wrestlers to attack the BJP through him.
He added the Congress hatched a similar "conspiracy" against him three decades ago.