Guilty must be brought to book irrespective of their political affiliation: Mamata on wrestlers’ protest | India News

NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee came out in full support of the protesting wrestlers on Friday joining a growing chorus of voices, backing their cause, alleging sexual harassment by national federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Banerjee called the athletes ‘the pride of our nation’ and demanded justice for them.
The Trinamool Congress chief also deputed two women MPs — Dola Sen (Rajya Sabha) and Aparupa Poddar (Lok Sabha) — from the party, to visit the protesting athletes at Jantar Mantar on Friday in a show solidarity with the protestors. Banerjee also called on the nation to join the protesting wrestlers and ensure ‘the guilty (are) brought to book… irrespective of their political affiliation’. The women wrestlers the last bit was a jab at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party because Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is a BJP Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj constituency.
“We must all stand with the wrestlers who are protesting. They are speaking in one voice. Our sportspersons are the pride of our nation. They are champions. The guilty must be brought to book, irrespective of political affiliation. Justice must prevail. Truth must win,” the Bengal chief minister tweeted. Mamata Banerjee is the latest opposition political leader to rally behind the wrestlers, who have accused Brij Bhushan Singh of sexual harassment and also of trying to buy them with money or use force to silence accusations.
Ex-Haryana chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda has offered support, as have some farmers’ organisations and ‘khap’ panchayats.