Wrestlers Protest: Brij Bhushan Singh Defers June 5 Ayodhya Rally, Cites Police Investigation

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has postponed his grand rally in Ayodhya on June 5 amid growing demands for his arrest over allegations of sexual harassment of top wrestlers, including at least one minor.

In a Facebook post, Singh cited the ongoing police investigation against him and Supreme Court directives while announcing the postponement of the June 5 rally.

"With your support, I served as a member of the Lok Sabha for the last 28 years. While in power, I have tried to unite people of all castes, communities, and religions. This is probably the reason my political opponents have targeted me by falsely accusing me of sexual harassment," the BJP MP wrote.

"While now, police are investigating the charges against me and in line with the serious instructions of the Supreme Court, the 'Jan Chetna Maharali, Let's go to Ayodhya' program has been postponed for a few days," he said.

Meanwhile, the Ayodhya district administration has also denied permission to BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to hold a rally here on June 5.

Circle Officer (Ayodhya) SP Gautam said in view of other programmes scheduled on World Environment Day on June 5, the permission sought by BJP councilor Chamela Devi on behalf of Singh has been denied.

Singh has been accused by seven women wrestlers of engaging in inappropriate behavior and sexual misconduct.

The allegations, documented in two First Information Reports (FIRs) filed at Delhi's Connaught Place police station last month, claim that Singh touched the athletes inappropriately under the guise of checking their breath, groped them, asked personal questions of a sexual nature, and demanded sexual favors in exchange for the federation covering their injury treatment expenses.

The FIR also alleges Brij Bhushan of groping women wrestlers, touching their legs with his legs, brushing his hands across a minor's breast and stalking her.

The FIRs were filed on April 28, following written complaints submitted on April 21.