“Was Against Protest From The Start”: Babita Phogat vs Protesting Wrestler

New Delhi:

Olympian wrestler and BJP leader Babita Phogat issued a statement on her Twitter handle on Wrestler Sakshee Malikkh’s video, posted on Saturday, calling her a “Congress puppet”.

एक कहावत है कि
ज़िंदगी भर के लिये आपके माथे पर कलंक की निशानी पड़ जाए।
बात ऐसी ना कहो दोस्त की कह के फिर छिपानी पड़ जाएँ ।
मुझे कल बड़ा दुःख भी हुआ और हँसी भी आई जब मैं अपनी छोटी बहन और उनके पतिदेव का विडीओ देख रही थी , सबसे पहले तो मैं ये स्पष्ट कर दूँ की जो अनुमति का काग़ज़… https://t.co/UqDMAF0qap

— Babita Phogat (@BabitaPhogat) June 18, 2023

In the video posted yesterday, Sakshee Malikkh and her husband wrestler Satyawart Kadian thanked Babita Phogat for supporting the wrestlers’ protest and working as a mediator between protesting wrestlers and the central government.

In a tweet, Babita Phogat refuted the claims made by Sakshee Malikkh and her husband.

“Yesterday I felt very sad and laughed too when I was watching the video of my little sister (Sakshee Malikkh) and her husband, first of all I want to make it clear that the permission paper which was shown by her, I have nothing to do with it and neither it has my signature,” Babita Phogat wrote in her tweet.

“I have been saying from day one that have faith in the Prime Minister and the judicial system of the country, the truth will definitely come out. As a female player, I was always with all the players of the country and will be, but I was against the protest from the beginning. I had told all the wrestlers that you should meet Prime Minister or the Union Home Minister, and the solution will come from there only,” Babita Phogat said.

She also alleged that Congress leaders are using the emotions of protesting wrestlers for political benefits. Babita Phogat also attacked Sakshee Malikkh and called her a “Congress puppet”.

“But you found your solution in @DeependerSHooda @INCIndia and @priyankagandhi, and others who themselves are guilty of rape and other cases, but the people of the country have now recognized the faces of the opposition. The opposition should now answer to all those soldiers, farmers and women wrestlers with whose emotions they have played for their political benefit.

“With all the prejudices, the thoughts of the women players who were sitting together on the dharna were given such a direction where only political benefits are visible. Today, when this video of yours is in front of everyone, the people of the country will now understand that on the auspicious day of the inauguration of the new Parliament House, your protest and attempt to immerse the medal in the Ganges was like embarrassing the country,” she said.

“The people of the country have understood that you have become a puppet in the hands of Congress. Now the time has come that you should tell your real intentions because now the public is asking you questions,” Babita Phogat added.

A few minutes later, Sakshee Malikkh also tweeted on her Twitter handle, attacking BJP leader Babita Phogat, she said that Babita was using wrestlers’ protest for selfish reasons.

“In the video, we taunted Tirath Rana and Babita Phogat that how they were trying to use wrestlers for their selfishness and how when the wrestlers were in trouble, they went and sat on the lap of the government. We are definitely in trouble, but our sense of humour should not become so weak that we cannot even laugh at the jokes of the powerful,” Sakshee Malikkh tweeted on Sunday.

वीडियो में हमने तीरथ राणा और बबीता फोगाट पर तंज कसा था कि कैसे वे अपने स्वार्थ के लिए पहलवानों को इस्तेमाल करना चाह रहे थे और कैसे पहलवानों पर जब विपदा पड़ी तो वे जाकर सरकार की गोद में बैठ गये. हम मुसीबत में ज़रूर हैं लेकिन हास्यबोध इतना कमज़ोर नहीं हो जाना चाहिए कि ताकतवर को… https://t.co/xGn81uHyav

— Sakshee Malikkh (@SakshiMalik) June 18, 2023

Earlier on Saturday, Satyawart Kadian said in the video, “We have been protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan Singh because he sexually abused women wrestlers. He has also been involved in many scams while running the wrestling federation. A narrative is being peddled against us, rumours are being spread and a section of the media is putting out misleading reports. The purpose of this video is to share our truth.”

Satyawart Kadian said their fight is against Brij Bhushan, who was accused of sexual harassment by multiple women wrestlers.

“We have said many times that our fight is not against the government but the WFI chief, who committed the crimes as was alleged while at the helm of the federation,” Satyawart Kadian added.

He claimed about 90 per cent of people associated with wrestling were aware of the “things being done to women wrestlers for the last 10 to 12 years”.

“I can say for certain that 90 per cent of people associated with wrestling, including the wrestlers themselves and their coaches, were aware of what was happening to our women wrestlers for the last 10 to 12 years. Some coaches have come out with evidence before the media as well,” he said.

Further clarifying on claims that there was politics at play behind the wrestlers’ protest and they were instigated by Congress leader Deepender Hooda, he added, “We were first accused of a protest inspired by politics. It was said Congress leader Deepender Hooda instigated us to launch the protest. We launched this protest in January and sought prior permission from two BJP leaders. We have proof of that.”

Sakshee Malikkh, too, clarified why the wrestlers didn’t come out against the alleged sexual harassment earlier, saying, “We were accused of being quiet for too long. However, there are many reasons for it. We were not united and secondly, there were minors among the victims. She (the minor wrestler, who accused Singh of sexual harassment and whose complaint a POCSO case was filed against him) gave her statements under IPC sections 161 and 164. However, she later retracted her statement as her family was threatened,” Sakshee Mallikh said in the video.

At the end of the video address, they thanked the people for supporting their cause, adding that everyone should stand against injustice.

Olympians Bajrang Punia, Sakshee Malikkh and Vinesh Phogat along with other wrestlers had been on a protest in the national capital since the beginning of this year in order to press for the arrest of the Brij Bhushan over allegations of sexual harassment.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)