Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is an Indian politician and wrestler who has been a Member of Parliament six times and has represented the Gonda, Kaiserganj, and Balrampur constituencies on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket. In 2019, he became the President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for the third time.
Wiki/Biography
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was born on Tuesday, 8 January 1957 (age 66 years; as of 2023) in Bishnoharpur, District Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. His zodiac sign is Capricorn. He did his schooling up to the 8th standard at Shree Gandhi Vidyalaya Inter College Nawabganj in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. He earned a master’s degree in arts from K. S. Saket P. G. College in Ayodhya. In 1985, he graduated with a Bachelor of Legislative Law from Awadh University in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh during his initial days in politics
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 8″
Weight (approx.): 75 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
Brij Bhushan’s father’s name is Jagdamba Saran Singh (deceased). His mother’s name is Pyari Devi Singh. Brij had seven brothers who died.
Wife & Children
On 11 June 1981, he got married to Ketki Devi Singh. Ketki Devi was born on 3 July 1958 in Brijmanganj of Maharajganj district, Uttar Pradesh. She is a politician and a social worker who was elected as Zila Panchayat adhyaksh from the Gonda district in Uttar Pradesh as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate in 1996.
A picture of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s wife, Ketki Devi Singh
Brij and Ketki have three sons and a daughter. On 17 June 2004, their elder son Shakti Sharan Singh committed suicide at the age of 23. Reportedly, he shot himself with his father’s licensed weapon at their residence in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. Shakti was a management student who used to accompany Brij during the election rallies. The 23-year-old left a suicide note in which he demonstrated how frustrated he was because of his father’s apathetic behaviour and wrote,
You have not proved yourself to be a good father. You did not take care of us – my brothers, me, and my sister. When we needed money, you did not oblige. We had to borrow from others. You said I would be your representative, but all you want me to do is attend weddings. I hope after my death you will look after my brothers and sister well.”
After his son’s death, Brij Bhushan told the media that he had no indication of how his eldest son felt about him and said,
I know I might have hurt my son, but it is not possible for any politician to get his family wherever he is going to give company. What could I have done? I have so many enemies. And there was no trace of the hidden frustration on his face. I was planning to get him married.”
His son Karan Bhushan Singh studied at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh. In 2019, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s wife and son Karan Bhushan Singh
Brij Bhushan’s son Prateek Bhushan Singh is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh from the Gonda constituency.
A picture of Brij Bhushan’s son Prateek Bhushan Singh
Other relatives
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s grandfather’s cousin Chandrabhan Sharan Singh was a freedom fighter. Brij’s granddaughter’s name is Kamakshi Bhushan Singh and his grandson’s name is Amarth Bhushan.
Religion
He follows Hinduism and is often seen promoting Hindutva.
Address
Vill. & P.O. Bishnoherpur, Shakti Bhawan, Nawabganj, Distt. Gonda-208002
Career
Politics
Brij Bhushan’s career in politics began as a student union leader when he was studying at Saket College in Ayodhya. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1988. In 1987, he contested and won the election for Director of the Sugarcane Committee in Uttar Pradesh; however, he lost the election for this position in 1988. In 1989, Brij Bhushan contested the MLC election on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket and lost by 14 votes. Later, he got associated with the Ram Mandir movement in Ayodhya following which he paved his way into politics.
Member of Parliament
In 1991, he contested the General elections from the Gonda constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket and was elected to the 10th Lok Sabha after defeating Anand Singh of INC by 1,02,984 votes. In 1999, he was re-elected to the 13th Lok Sabha from the Gonda constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket, and in 2004, he was again elected to the 14th Lok Sabha from the Balrampur constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Later, he resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party following which he joined the Samajwadi Party on 20 July 2008. In 2009, he was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha from the Kaiserganj constituency in Uttar Pradesh on a Samajwadi Party ticket. In 2014, he resigned from the Samajwadi Party and rejoined the Bharatiya Janata Party. In 2019, he contested and won the 17th Lok Sabha election on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket.
Wrestling Federation of India
After he earned a coveted spot in politics, he began organising dangals (bouts) and wrestling tournaments in Gonda and nearby cities. He organises junior and national championships for both men and women at his own expense. He has been appointed as the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) three times.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on becoming President of the Wrestling Federation of India in 2019
In 2015, Mr Sharan Singh was awarded the post of Asian Vice President by United Wrestling World, which is a global body of wrestling. He organizes three-day wrestling leagues in which the wrestlers who participate in International tournaments including the Olympics, Commonwealth, and Asian Games also participate. In December 2021, he was made a member of the government’s Mission Olympic Cell, which monitors and plans the preparations for the Olympics. In June 2020, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was appointed in charge of the 18th Asian Games by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
Brij Bhushan inaugurating the 14-16 years old Cadet Wrestling championship, Khelo India Youth Games, under the aegis of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of India, at Indira Gandhi Stadium in 2017
Social Works
Brij Bhushan has established 54 institutions including Nandini Nagar Mahavidyala in Gonda, Eklavya Mahavidyalaya in Bahraich, Savitri Mahavidyalaya Degree College in Faizabad, and Maa Saryu Inter College in Bahraich. These institutions are all located in Uttar Pradesh and also provide scholarships to underprivileged students. Apart from this, he launched a public awareness campaign “Matra Raksha Rath Yatra” in 1993. He has also organised a movement against the feudal land mafias and facilitated the process of allocation of land on a lease basis to the downtrodden and deserving. He organizes Divisional Talent Search Examination (DTSE) every year with the vision to recognise talented youths of the cities including Gonda, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balarampur, Ayodhya, and Barabanki.
Controversies
Cases Pending
- 1 charge related to Voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty (IPC Section-332)
- 1 charge related to Causing the disappearance of evidence of the offence, or giving false information to screen offender (IPC Section-201)
- 1 charge related to Punishment for dacoity (IPC Section-395)
- 1 charge related to an Attempt to murder (IPC Section-307)
Cases where Convicted
- 1 charge related to False statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorized to administer an oath or affirmation (IPC Section-181)
- 1 charge related to Illegal payments in connection with an election (IPC Section-171H)
- 2 charges related to Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of the offence committed in prosecution of common object (IPC Section-149)
- 1 charge related to Causing grievous hurt by an act endangering the life or personal safety of others (IPC Section-338)
- 1 charge related to Punishment for Rioting (IPC Section-147)
- 1 charge related to Rioting, armed with a deadly weapon (IPC Section-148)
- 1 charge related to Punishment for wrongful restraint (IPC Section-341)
- 1 charge related to Disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant (IPC Section-188)
Opposing Raj Thackeray’s Ayodhya visit
In May 2022, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh made headlines when he opposed Indian politician Raj Thackeray’s proposed visit to Ayodhya in June 2022. According to Bhushan, Raj Thackeray owed a public apology for the 2008 incident when Thackeray’s workers physically assaulted and humiliated North Indians and forced them to leave Mumbai. Brij Bhushan declared that Thackeray will not be allowed to enter the city till he tenders a public apology and said,
I will not allow Raj Thackeray, who humiliates North Indians, to enter Ayodhya. Before coming to Ayodhya, Raj Thackeray must apologise to all North Indians with folded hands. Unless Raj Thackeray publicly apologises, I request Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath that he should not meet Raj Thackeray. RSS, VHP, and the common man played a role in the Ram temple movement. The Thackeray family has nothing to do with it.”
Controversial statements on Indian leaders
In 2022, Brij Bhushan said that Samajwadi Party leader Rizwan Khan and former Member of the Legislative Council Mahfuz Khan were Hindus. Later, he said that Arvind Kejriwal was a very clever, sly, and crazy man. In an interview, while talking about Yogi Adityanath, Brij Bhushan said that he was the child of Lord Ram only, and his intelligence was slowly recovering. He further alleged AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi’s forefathers were Hindus and said,
I guarantee that Owaisi Baba’s father’s name was Tulsiram Das. I tell him with a guarantee that he was a Hindu.”
Harbouring henchmen of Dawood Ibrahim
In the mid-90s, Brij Bhushan was arrested after a case was registered against him under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for being associated with Dawood Ibrahim and harbouring Dawood’s associates Subhash Singh Thakur, Jayendra Thakur alias Bhai Thakur, Paresh Desai, and Shyam Kishore Garikapatti. Reportedly, Bhushan also provided them with his personal phone to communicate with Dawood. Following his arrest, he spent several months in Tihar jail.
Plead NOT Guilty for a murder case
In 2022, Singh and three of his associates were acquitted from a 29-year-old case in which they were accused of attempting to murder former Uttar Pradesh minister Vinod Kumar Singh on 24 December 1993. Reportedly, they made an open fire on Vinod Kumar outside his house in Nawabganj, Uttar Pradesh. A charge sheet was filed against Brij Bhushan, Devdutt Singh, Gyan Singh, and Deep Narayan Yadav; however, due to the lack of evidence, the accused were acquitted. During the prosecution, the judge remarked that despite Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s submission that he was in Delhi at the time of the attack, no effort was made to verify it, which made the whole discussion seriously suspicious following which Bhushan defended himself and said that the case was filed by one of his political rivals.
Former Uttar Pradesh minister Vinod Kumar Singh
Wrestlers protest
On 18 January 2023, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan faced several allegations of sexually exploiting women wrestlers for more than a decade. Several athletes including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Sarita Romit Singh, Sangeeta Phogat, Jitender Kinha, and Sumit Malik were present in the protest rally at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and urged the Government of India to remove him from the position. During the protest, India’s only double World Championship medallist, Vinesh Phogat, said,
Women wrestlers have been sexually harassed at national camps by coaches and also the WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan. Some of the coaches appointed at national camps have been sexually harassing women wrestlers for years. The WFI president is also involved in sexual harassment.”
The wrestlers demanded the resignation of Brij Bushan and insisted the government dissolve the national wrestling body following which the Sports Ministry asked him to resign as president of the WFI within 24 hours on 19 January 2023. After hearing this, Brij Bhushan denied the allegations and said that he was “willing to be hanged” if even one of these allegations was found true. He further added,
There is no truth in any of the allegations. Why should I quit? Even if one woman wrestler comes and proves the sexual harassment charge, I am ready to be hanged. There is an industrialist behind it (conspiracy). There can be an investigation by the CBI or police. There is no dictatorship. These same wrestlers had met me a week back and did not say anything.”
Wrestlers staging a protest against WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on 19 January 2023
In April 2023, according to sources, no concert evidence was found against him after several hearings. Wrestlers again protested at Jantar Mantar on 23 April 2023, demanding Brij Bhushan be charged with sexual harassment. Wrestlers complained that promises had not been kept and their demands had not been met despite assurances. A petition by seven wrestlers, seeking an FIR against Brij Bhushan, was filed with the Supreme Court on 25 April 2023; the court issued a notice to the Delhi police asking why an FIR had not been filed against Brij Bhushan. On 28 April 2023, the Delhi Police registered two FIRs against Brij Bhushan: one was related to allegations against a minor wrestler under the POCSO Act, while the second was in response to complaints by women wrestlers. FIRs also named Brij Bhushan’s close aide and the federation’s assistant secretary Vinod Tomar. In response to the FIR filed against him, Brij Bhushan called the protesters Congress stooges and said wrestler Bajrang Punia and Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda conspired against him. In addition, Mr. Singh alleged that the Phogat family wanted to take control of the wrestling federation. Many politicians visited the protest site as part of the second leg of the wrestlers’ protest, including Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, AAP ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj, and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi; Pappu Yadav and Satya Pal Malik also attended. He was debarred from holding the post of WFI President after the IOA wrote a letter to the secretary general of WFI, asking the secretary general to hand over the official documents including financial instruments to its ad-hoc panel. The IOA’s three-member ad-hoc committee also made it clear that the new WFI office bearers will be elected within 45 days. On 25 June 2023, wrestlers announced that they had decided to stop protesting against Brij Bhushan on the streets and to battle it out in court. On 18 July 2023, he appeared before Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court, where he was granted a two-day interim bail. On 20 July 2023, the court granted him regular bail. On 23 September 2023, Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava, who represented the Delhi police at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court during the hearing, informed the court that Brij Bhushan was fully aware of his actions, and his intention was to disgrace the wrestlers’ modesty. Srivastava also mentioned the presence of three types of evidence against Sharan Singh, which were deemed sufficient to file charges. These pieces of evidence included a written complaint and two recorded statements conducted under Sections 161 (witness examination by the police) and 164 (statements recorded by a Magistrate) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Srivastava further stated that Bhushan had committed these offences at various locations outside Delhi as well. He mentioned that Bhushan had committed such offences at every opportunity he got.
Car Collection
He has a collection of swanky cars including Ford Endeavour, Mahindra Scorpio, Toyota Land Cruiser, Tata Safari, and Jeep Wrangler.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in his Toyota Land Cruiser
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh posing with his Jeep Wrangler car outside Parliament House, Delhi
Assets & Properties
Movable Assets
- Bank Deposits: Rs. 87,52,817
- Bonds & Company Shares: Rs. 11,48,000
- Motor Vehicles: Rs. 16,00,000
- LIC/Other Insurance Policies: Rs. 24,95,500
- Weapons: Pistol, Rifle, and Ripiter worth Rs. 16,00,000
Immovable Assets
- Agricultural Land: Rs. 25,00,000
- Non-Agricultural Land: Rs. 25,00,000
- Residential Buildings: Rs. 1,93,89,470
Note: The given estimates of movable and immovable assets are according to the year 2019. It excludes the assets owned by his wife and dependents (minor).
Net Worth
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s net worth for the financial year 2019 was estimated to be Rs. 2.8 crores. It excludes the net worth of his wife and dependents (minors).
Facts/Trivia
- Since his school days, he was a wrestler and spent much of his time on the wrestling grounds of Ayodhya. In many interviews, he has called himself “shaktishali,” which means powerful.
- Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh calls himself an amateur musician.
- He is an animal lover and owns several animals such as cows, horses, and dogs.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh with one of his dogs
- He likes to write and maintains a fondness for literature. He also likes horse riding.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh feeding his horse
- Mr Singh is very passionate with aircraft and owns two helicopters.
A picture of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh arriving in Delhi by his own helicopter
- Brij Bhushan promotes fitness and wrestling. In his leisure time, he indulges himself in several sports activities such as playing badminton.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh (left) while playing Badminton
- He is very particular about his fitness and follows a strict workout regimen.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh during his workout
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education