Jantar Mantar is the venue of women wrestlers protest against their alleged sexual harassment and intimidation made over a decade. The protest venue have almost become a permanent port of call of politicians and personalities of divergent views ranging from Mamata Banerjee the Trinamool Congress supremo to former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra.

The alleged sexual harassment and intimidation cannot be stated to be stray incidents. They allegedly took place over a decade during international wrestling tournaments and the bungalow of Wrestling Federation of India's chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The complainants are seven women wrestlers. One of them is a minor. There have been two FIRs. One of them follows POCSO. Not much sympathy or support is on offer for Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, BJP M P and president, Wrestling Federation of India whom the women wrestlers have accused of sexual harassment. The lone voice in his support is that of Indian Olympic Association chief PT Usha. Singh has been in the news earlier. His name had come up in connection with the demolition of Babri mosque.

It is unfortunate that sexual harassment charges have been levelled by women wrestlers against a man who should have been their guardian. The Chief Justice of Supreme Court has termed the charges " serious", though no steps have been voiced so far from the leadership of the party Singh belongs to.

Several questions seeking answers are doing the rounds. How a "history sheeter" made it to the top of a national sports body. Whether the aggression he faced initially ebbed owing to his proximity to two top BJP leaders, one in the national Capital and the other in Lucknow is another question seeking an answer.

The sports persons not sharing the views of the former ace runner PT Usha need no introduction. Sania Mirza, Kapil Dev, Neeraj Chopra, Harbhajan Singh and Virendra Sehwag have sympathised with the girls. The protestors at Jantar Mantar, some of whom have done the nation proud being medal winners, make no secret of their anger. For they feel promises made to them were empty.

Nothing in reality has changed, feel the women who are not wet behind the ears but well accustomed to the blood, toil, sweat and tears within and outside the wrestling ring. Small wonder, they are holding their door open to anyone who would take their side.

It was at this point of time when it came home to the ruling dispensation that the grapplers row was beyond an in-house conflict. Police moved in and Singh is on a backfoot. The Asian Games are a few months away and the Paris Olympic is scheduled next year. The participants to the "dharna" at Jantar Mantar should now be in training.

To send the women wrestlers back to the training camp, a prompt solution is the need of the hour. And on its expeditiousness rests the key to forestall any spread of the stink of the row outside the wrestling ring which may tarnish any other sports.

Whichever way the battle ends, it will not fade from the public memory in a hurry. Every care should be taken to ensure that India's international standing does not take a toss. There is a question uppermost in the minds of the protestors. Have we been shadow boxing all this time? (IPA Service)