Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns statements made by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh for amendment in POSCO Act and demands his immediate arrest
Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns statements made by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for amendment of the POSCO Act and protection of sexual harassment accused by the Modi government. For 40 days, many of India’s top wrestlers have been protesting against sexual harassment after the government went back on its promise of a fair and transparent investigation. It was only after the intervention of the Supreme Court, that FIRs were registered against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh—under Section 10 of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act and Section 354A of the POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) Act. Yet, contrary to norms under the POSCO Act, no arrests have been made to date.
Instead, the government tried to hush up the matter and declare the protests illegal. Wrestlers were assaulted, and vilified by the news media and through social media. When these players continued their protest and organized a peaceful march in Delhi on 28 May, Delhi Police brutally suppressed the protest march. The wrestlers were dragged away and detained, and FIRs were registered against them. Their protest site at Jantar Mantar, where they had been waging a peaceful struggle since April 23, was demolished by the police.
Meanwhile, accused BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh along with his supporters have claimed that they will force the government to change the POCSO Act. There is a sustained campaign on the news media and social media against the Act. The POSCO Act protects minor children from sexual exploitation. Since the conviction rate in cases of sexual abuse of minor children is extremely low, the POSCO Act has been made cognate and non-bailable. The arrest is preferential in cases under this Act. Amendment in POSCO Act will leave lakhs of daughters of the country to be sexually exploited by ruffians like Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The Modi government’s protection of sexual assault accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and the ongoing campaign against the POSCO Act, exposes the government’s “save the girl child” hypocrisy. United Kisan Morcha will not tolerate this heinous attack against the daughters of the country.
United Kisan Morcha, Himachal Pradesh unit, demands immediate arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and action against those who are exploiting and defaming the daughters of the country. As announced earlier, the United Kisan Morcha — a united front of trade unions, forums of women, youth, students, cultural activists, businessmen, and common citizens — will hold a rally today, June 5, to demand the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh Along with nation-wide protests, effigies were burnt and demonstrations were held at the district and block level of the state.
Former General Secretary of Kisan Sabha and former MLA Rakesh Singha, retired IAS Deepak Shanan, State President of Kisan Sabha Dr. Kuldeep Tanwar, State Finance Secretary Satyawan Pundir while addressing outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Shimla said that we urge all the citizens of the country to raise their daughters. Let us come in solidarity with and strongly condemn the Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for trying to shield an accused of sexual assault. If the Modi government fails to act, it will have to face a bigger and faster movement.
Organizations like Himachal Kisan Sabha, CITU, Citizen, Mahila Samiti, Nojwan Sabha, Bharatiya Chhatra Sangh, etc. registered their participation in this demonstration in Shimla.
