Top Indian Olympic wrestlers have publicly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for nominating the son of their former federation chief, who faces sexual harassment charges, as a candidate in the ongoing national elections.

Last year, numerous Indian wrestlers had taken to the streets demanding legal action against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a BJP lawmaker, following allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation leveled against him. Despite facing these serious accusations, Singh has consistently denied any wrongdoing and is currently out on bail pending trial.

In the current general election, Singh’s son Karan is contesting from his father’s stronghold, the Kaiserganj constituency in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh state. Singh himself has held this seat on six previous occasions.

The decision to field Karan Singh has sparked outrage among the Indian wrestling community, with prominent figures like Sakshi Malik, a bronze medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, expressing their dismay. Malik lamented the move in a social media post, stating, “Daughters of the country have lost, Brij Bhushan won. By giving an election ticket to his son, they have shattered the aspirations of the country’s millions of daughters.”

The sentiment was echoed by Bajrang Punia, another Olympic medallist, who returned one of India’s highest civilian awards in protest last year. Punia emphasized the irony of honoring the son of someone accused of exploiting female athletes while disregarding the achievements of those athletes themselves.

Jairam Ramesh, a spokesperson for the opposition Congress party, condemned the BJP’s decision, asserting that it reflects a “new low” for the ruling party and demonstrates a lack of moral integrity.

In response to the criticism, Awanish Tyagi, a spokesperson for the BJP in the state, dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, suggesting that they were being raised “deliberately” to create issues.

The controversy comes amid the ongoing seven-phase parliamentary election in India, which commenced on April 19 and concludes on June 1. Prime Minister Modi is widely expected to secure a third term in office, with results slated to be announced on June 4۔