BJP names Brij Bhushan’s son as Kaiserganj candidate: Sakshi Malik, wrestlers slam move… ‘Desh ki betiyan haar gayi’

The Bharatiya Janata Party's decision to field Karan Bhushan Singh, the son of former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Singh, from UP's Kaiserganj constituency was slammed by wrestlers who protested against the ex-WFI president in Delhi last year over the alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers. 

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Rio Olympics bronze medallist said from her twitter handle Sakshee Malikkh said, “Desh ki betiyan haar gyi! (India's daughters have lost today). All of us have put our careers at stake, spend days on the street and Brij Bhushan has still not been arrested.”

“We demanded justice. Now his son has got a ticket from Kaiserganj. This has broken the spirits of crores of Indian daughters. The ticket is still with the family. I want to ask why is the government so weak in front on of him? she asked. 

Sakshee Malikkh, who quit the sport last year after Brij Bhushan's close aide Sanjay Singh won the WFI elections, also flayed the BJP-led union government for seeking votes in the name of “Lord Ram”. 

Her mother Sudesh said Karan Bhushan's selection as BJP candidate shows that no one really cares about the women wrestlers who demanded justice. 

“My daughter quit wrestling in protest against Brij Bhushan. Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat returned their medals in disgust. All those actions have come to naught,” she added. 

Another protestor Jitender Kumar, who is the former 74 kg freestyle wrestler, called the BJP's decision a “stab in the back” and asked the government “Is this why we slept on the streets or what we fought for?”

“This is country's misfortune. The BJP calls itself the biggest political party of the world, but still it chose Brij Bhushan's son from over lakhs of workers. The son of the man who sexually exploited women wrestlers is honored with an election ticket,” said Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia.

Delhi Police in June 2023 registered a case against Brij Bhushan under sections 354, 354D, 345A of the Indian Penal Code for stalking and sexual harassment. Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court is hearing the case. The next hearing will take place on May 7.