The wrestlers sitting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar are going to complete one month of protest today i.e. on 23rd May. The protesting wrestlers started the strike on 23 April against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Brijbhushan is accused of sexually harassing female wrestlers.
When the demands of the wrestlers were not fulfilled, a Khap Panchayat was held on Sunday, May 21. Women wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and farmer leader Rakesh Tikait were also present in this mahapanchayat.
According to Ramphal Rathi, president of Khap Panchayat in Rohtak district, this panchayat decided that Brijbhushan Sharan Singh should be immediately arrested and his narco test should be done.
What did Brij Bhushan say?
On the other hand Brijbhushan Sharan Singh has said on the decision of this panchayat that he is ready to do narco test, polygraphy test or lie detector test.
He wrote while posting on social media, "I am ready for the test but the condition is that Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia should also be tested along with me. If these two wrestlers also agree to get the narco test done, then call the press and announce it."
After the statement of Brijbhushan Singh, while holding a press conference last evening, Bajrang Punia also agreed to get the narco test done. He said that if this is the condition of Brij Bhushan then we are ready to accept it.
What is a narco test
Narco-analysis test itself is called narco test. The word is derived from the Greek word narco which means anesthesia or torpor. This test is used as an aid during the investigation of criminal cases. However, its success-validity has always been questioned.
How is Narco test done
According to experts, narco test comes under the category of polygraph and brain-mapping test. During this test, by interfering in the nervous system of the person at the molecular level, his inhibitions are reduced. If you understand in simple language, this test takes the person in front of you in a state of hypnosis, which means that the person has neither slept completely nor woken up. In such a situation, when any kind of question is asked to him, he is not in a position to think and understand before giving information and speaks the truth.
These doses given through injection during narco test are decided according to the gender, age, health and physical condition of the person. Firstly anesthesia drug is given through injection in the vein of the person giving the test and then when the person starts losing his consciousness due to the drug, he is asked necessary questions.
How successful has been the narco test
Narco test played an important role in the investigation of stamp scam and 26/11 Mumbai attack. Whereas in the Aarushi murder case, no specific information could be obtained from this test. According to doctors, due to being hypnotized, it is true that people answer all the questions without thinking, but it was never said that those answers should be hundred percent true.
Narco test has been done in many cases
This is not the first time that the help of narco test is being taken to reveal the truth. This test was also used in the case of 2002 Gujarat riots. Apart from this, narco test was used on Ajmal Kasab, a terrorist arrested in connection with Abdul Karim Telgi fake stamp paper scam, Nithari murder case in 2007 and 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
Interrogation takes place in the presence of the doctor
The person related to the test is questioned by the investigating agencies in the presence of doctors. Video recording is done of the revelations made during this. This test is done in the government hospital after the order of the court.
How much does a narco test cost
Narco test is done only under the supervision of government certified government institutions and experts, for which it is most important to have a court permission certificate to do the test. That’s why no normal person or organization can get this test done and the situation of spending does not arise.
Understand the whole issue of wrestlers’ performance
This whole matter started on January 18, 2023. On that day, India’s famous wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia hurled serious threats at Wrestling Federation President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh from Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
These players accused the wrestling federation and Brij Bhushan of lack of basic facilities, financial irregularities, unclear communication between the players and the federation, bad behavior and arbitrary attitude of President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
At that time Vinesh Phogat while narrating the crying incident said that Brijbhushan Singh and the coach misbehave with women wrestlers in the national camp, along with this she accused Brijbhushan Singh of sexual harassment.
Amidst the demonstration by the players at Jantar Mantar, the Sports Ministry had sent a notice to the Wrestling Federation to respond to the allegations within 72 hours. Following this notice, a five-member inspection committee was formed on January 23 to look into the allegations.
The government assured these wrestlers that action would be taken against Brij Bhushan Singh. After the government’s assurance, the wrestlers called off their sit-in demonstration, but on April 23, under the leadership of Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, once again started the sit-in.
This time the players said that even after the committee was formed three months ago, what investigation was done and what was the conclusion of that investigation, it has not yet come to the fore. The wrestlers alleged that on the contrary, information from the investigation report was leaked to the media. While this report of the inspection committee is not public.
Brij Bhushan continues to deny the allegations
For the last one month, wrestlers have been continuously demanding an inquiry at Jantar Mantar, but Brij Bhushan Singh has so far called all the allegations leveled against him as baseless. In a statement, Brij Bhushan said, "I have not done any injustice, misbehavior, molestation with anyone. I have treated them like children of the family. Gave lots of respect and love."
How many times did the players sit on dharna before this?
Let us tell you that this is not the first time that a player is sitting on a dharna regarding his demands. Just this time the issues raised are very serious and sensitive.
Senior sports journalist Norris Pritam says in a BBC report, "In the year 2008, hockey players protested against the then Union Sports Minister MS Gill at Connaught Place in Delhi. The reason for this strike was the mismanagement of sports minister and the expectation of sports.
During the demonstration of hockey players, the players went on a hunger strike in protest against Gill and demanding change in the administration. At that time, sports journalists also took part in this demonstration by wearing black bands."