In a recent development, Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik has made serious allegations against former Commonwealth Games gold medallist and BJP leader Babita Phogat. Malik accused Phogat of attempting to exploit wrestlers for her personal gain.
This accusation comes amidst a controversy surrounding their protest against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at Jantar Mantar, where they sought to dissociate the Congress from their agitation.
Permission for protest facilitated by Babita Phogat and Teerath Rana
In a video posted by Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyawart Kadian, they claimed that it was Babita Phogat and another BJP leader, Teerath Rana, who helped them obtain permission for their protest at Jantar Mantar. The couple aimed to prove that the Congress was not involved in their agitation. However, Sakshi Malik took to Twitter on Sunday, asserting that Phogat and Rana were manipulating the wrestlers for their own selfish motives.
"In the video (posted on Saturday), we had commented how Teerath Rana and Babita Phogat were trying to use wrestlers for their selfish motives and how when the wrestlers were in trouble, they went and opted to sit in the lap of the government."
"We are definitely in trouble, but the sense of humour should not become so weak that a joke cracked on the powerful could not be understood," Sakshi tweeted.
Denial of Selfish Motives by Rana
Rana, however, denied allegations that he had used the wrestlers for selfish motives.
"The wrestlers came and met me (before staging the protest) and they told us that they were being exploited. We said we are with our sisters and daughters. I am with the athletes in the fight for justice. I was there with them before and am now as well," added Rana.
"Look, wrestlers are the pride of the nation and the respect of sportspersons is uppermost on the mind of the BJP, and I also respect them a lot. I have always supported sportspersons," said Rana in a video.
The video containing Sakshi Malik's allegations was initially shared in a WhatsApp group created to disseminate information but was later deleted.
Wrestlers vs Brij Bhushan
Prominent wrestlers in the country, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia, have accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the outgoing chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and a BJP MP, of sexual harassment. They have demanded his arrest.
To substantiate their claims, Satyawart Kadian and Sakshi Malik presented a letter demonstrating that Babita Phogat and Teerath Rana obtained permission from the Jantar Mantar police station for the wrestlers' sit-in protest. (With PTI inputs)
