Outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing sexual harassment charges levelled by female wrestlers, on Wednesday said he will hang himself even if a single allegation is proved against him.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP also said all wrestlers are like his children and he will not blame them as his blood and sweat have also gone into their success.
"I am once again saying that if even if a single allegation is proved against me, I will hang myself," Singh said while addressing a programme at the Mahadeva auditorium in the Ramnagar area.
"It has been four months since they (wrestlers) want me to be hanged, but the government is not hanging me. So, they were going to immerse their medals in the Ganga. Brij Bhushan will not be hanged by throwing medals in the Ganga. If you have proof, give it to the court and if the court hangs me, I will accept it," the MP from Kaiserganj said.
He said he will not blame the wrestlers as his blood and sweat have also gone into their success.
"All the players are like my children. Until a few days ago, they used to call me the god of wrestling. When I took over as the wrestling federation chief, India was ranked 20th in the world. Today, after my hard work, India's name is included among the five best wrestling teams in the world.
"I have lived wrestling day and night. Five of the seven Olympic medals (in wrestling) came to India during my tenure. The allegations levelled against me are baseless," the outgoing WFI chief said.
He urged the people to join the "Jan Chetna Maha Rally" to be held in Ayodhya on June 5 in large numbers.
The wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Sakshee Malikkh and Bajrang Punia and Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, who were protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar since April 23 demanding Singh's arrest, were removed from the site by police on Sunday after they tried to march towards the new Parliament building following its inauguration. They were detained before being released later.
The Delhi Police has registered two FIRs against Singh.
The first FIR pertains to the allegations levelled by a minor and it has been lodged under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act along with the sections of the Indian Penal Code concerning outraging modesty. The other FIR has been registered over complaints from women wrestlers pertaining to outraging modesty.
'Don't take any step that would undermine sports'
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday asked protesting wrestlers not to take any step that would undermine sports, a day after the grapplers threatened to immerse their medals in Ganga at Haridwar.
Thakur also urged the wrestlers to be patient and trust the investigation into the allegations against Singh.
"I urge the wrestlers to be patient till the outcome of the investigation. I also urge them not to take any step that would undermine sports," the minister said while replying to queries from reporters.
The wrestlers, along with hundreds of their supporters, reached Har ki Pauri to immerse their medals in the Ganga but were persuaded by Khap and farmer leaders not to do so.
Mamata takes to streets to protest against 'manhandling' of wrestlers
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday took to the streets in Kolkata to protest against the alleged manhandling of wrestlers at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar after they tried to march towards the new Parliament building following its inauguration three days ago.
Holding a placard with the message, "We Want Justice", written on it, Banerjee participated in a rally which started from Hazra Road in the southern part of the city to Rabindra Sadan.
"The wrestlers were badly beaten, and this has tarnished the image of the country globally. My solidarity is with them. I have told them to continue with their movement," Banerjee had said on Tuesday.
'Reports claiming lack of evidence against WFI chief wrong'
The investigation into the sexual harassment case against Singh is in progress and reports claiming that the Delhi Police has not found sufficient evidence are "wrong", officials said on Wednesday.
The police had earlier said that they had not found sufficient evidence to arrest Singh, who is accused of sexually harassing seven female wrestlers, including a minor.
Later, taking to Twitter, the Delhi Police said, "Several media channels are running a story that the Delhi Police hasn't found sufficient evidence in the cases registered against the Ex-President of WFI and a final report in the matter is due to be submitted before the concerned court.
"It is to clarify that this news is 'wrong' and the investigation into this sensitive case is under progress with all sensitivity," it tweeted.
