New Delhi: Former Olympian wrestler and BJP leader Babita Phogat on Sunday hit out at fellow wrestler Sakshi Malik calling her a “Congress puppet”.
Phogat stressed that she was not in favour of the protest staged by the wrestlers against the government demanding the arrest of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, Braj Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment.
In a video posted on Twitter on Saturday, Sakshi Malik and her husband, wrestler Satyawart Kadian thanked Phogat for supporting the wrestlers’ protest and acting as a mediator between them and the government.
“Let me make it clear that our protest is not politically-motivated. We came (to Jantar Mantar) in January, and permission was taken by two BJP leaders seeking police permission,” Kadian said and asked Sakshi to show the letter, seeking permission for protest, in the video.
“This (protest) is not Congress supported. More than 90% of people (in the wrestling fraternity) knew that for the last 10-12 years, it (harassment and intimidation) has been going on. A few people wanted to raise their voices but the wrestling fraternity was not united,” they added.
Refuting Malik’s claims, Phogat took to Twitter and wrote, “Yesterday I felt very sad and laughed too when I was watching the video of my younger sister and her husband, first of all, I want to make it clear that the permission paper which younger sister was showing did not have my signature or my name anywhere on it. There is no proof of consent and neither is it remotely my concern. Being a female player, I was, am and always will be with all the players of the country, but I was not in favour of the sit-in dharna from the beginning of the protest.”
Expressing faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the judicial system of the country, Phogat further said she repeatedly told all wrestlers to meet either PM Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah to find a solution.
Phogat further launched a scathing attack on Congress accusing their leaders of using the emotions of protesting wrestlers for political benefits.
She also expressed disappointment that her fellow wrestlers found the “solution” in some Congress leaders “who are themselves guilty of rape and other cases”.
Phogat further accused Congress leader Deepender Hooda of steering the wrestlers’ protest in a direction in which “only your political benefits were visible”.
Phogat also slammed the wresters for “embarrassing the country” on the “auspicious day of the inauguration of the new parliament building” by the protest and the act of immersing their medals won for the nation in the Ganges.
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