Among the poll narratives in Haryana, ahead of voting across its 10 Lok Sabha seats on May 25, the protest by India’s top women wrestlers against alleged sexual assault by former wrestling federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has purportedly taken centre stage.

The protests led by wrestlers, dominantly natives of Haryana, including Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, began in January last year. Nearly a year later, Olympic wrestler Sakshi Malik hung up her shoes in a press conference, and Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri over the election of Brij Bhushan’s aide as the federation head. The government subsequently suspended the WFI. 

About four months later, the BJP announced that it would give its Kaiserganj Lok Sabha ticket not to incumbent Brij Bhushan but to his son Karan Bhushan Singh. Following this half measure, the opposition is attacking the saffron party with cannons doubly charged. Meanwhile, the wrestlers have also raised questions over the government’s stance on women’s safety.  

Now, a Delhi court lodged the chargesheet in the case, framing charges against Brij Bhushan for sexual harassment, threats and hurting the dignity of women. Notably, earlier two FIRs were lodged against the BJP MP, one by a minor wrestler under the POCSO Act. Later, the minor withdrew her allegations. 

But will it be an election issue in Haryana? Newslaundry spoke to wrestlers, aspirants and locals in Charkhi Dadri, Rohtak and Kurukshetra about the impact of the wrestlers’ protest. 

Navdeep Phogat, from Vinesh Phogat’s village of Charkhi Dadri, says the impact is “clearly visible”. “We have not forgotten those pictures, and the BJP has now given the ticket to Brij Bhushan’s son. After that people are very unhappy with the BJP.” 

The BJP officials say the wrestlers’ protest is not an election issue, while political experts point out that women’s issues would have been raised strongly in the state if women were more active in local politics. 

In the ongoing polls, both the BJP and the Congress have fielded only one woman candidate in the state. From the BJP, it is Banto Kataria, wife of former union minister Ratan Lal Kataria, from Ambala and Kumari Selja is the Congress candidate from Sirsa. Selja also comes from a political family.

In total, out of 223 candidates in the fray across the ten Lok Sabha seats, only 13 are women. Of these candidates, eight are associated with political parties and the remaining are independent. 

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