Â鶹Éç

Available for over a year

Protests have been going on in India, after female wrestler Vinesh Phogat accused the chief of the country's Wrestling Federation of sexual harassing other women. Ms Phogat claims at least 10 women wrestlers have confided in her about sexual exploitation by Brij Bhushan Singh, something he denies. We spoke to Yogita Bhayana, a women's rights activist in Delhi, who has been taking part in the protests. She says: "The allegations are of harassing the wrestlers and the coaches also for many years." She says: "This is the first time in history these wrestlers...have come out and openly spoken about and complained about the harassment they've been going through." "Maybe internally they were trying to bring it to the notice of the authorities and authorities were also brushing it under the carpet" she adds. Mr Brij Bhushan Singh, who is also an MP from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, said there is "no truth to the allegations" and is refusing to step down from his post. "Is anyone saying that the WFI has sexually harassed a wrestler? Only Vinesh has said it. Even if one wrestler comes forward and says that she has been sexually harassed, that day I can be hanged," he said in a statement. (Photo: Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and other Indian wrestlers take part in a protest demanding the disbandment of the WFI and the investigation of its head. Credit: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters)