New Delhi. Olympic Games medalist Sakshi Malik on Sunday accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Commonwealth Games gold medalist wrestler Babita Phogat of using wrestlers for her own interests and trying to undermine her opposition. Have been Sakshi and her husband Satyavrat Kadian had also posted a video on Saturday alleging that Babita and another BJP leader Tirath Rana had initially taken permission for the wrestlers to perform at Jantar Mantar but later advised them not to use the platform. Should not be used by political parties for political purposes. Rana, however, said that neither he nor Babita initially tried to start the protest and later dilute it.
He said that wrestlers are the pride of the country and the honor of sportspersons is supreme for the BJP. Rana said in the video, “Look, wrestlers are the pride of the country and for the BJP, sportspersons have the highest respect and I also respect them a lot.” The country’s top wrestlers including Sakshi, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia have accused outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment and intimidation and demanded his arrest. Kadian and Sakshi also showed a letter purportedly showing that Babita and Rana had taken permission from the Jantar Mantar police station for the wrestlers’ dharna.
Sakshi tweeted on Sunday, “In the video (on Saturday), we took a jibe at Tirath Rana and Babita Phogat, how they were trying to use wrestlers for their own selfish ends and how when wrestlers were in trouble, they went to the government.” “We are definitely in trouble, but the sense of humor should not become so weak that you can’t even laugh at the strongman’s quips,” he said. Rana, however, dismissed allegations that he Used wrestlers for personal interest. “The wrestlers came and met me (before starting the protest) and they told us that they were exploited. We said that we are with our sisters and daughters. I am with the players in the fight for justice. I was with him earlier also and am still with him.
Vinesh, one of the three top wrestlers leading the protest against Brij Bhushan, had in April urged his cousin not to “weaken our campaign” by issuing contradictory statements on social media. Heavyweight wrestler Kadian had said on Saturday that his agitation was not politically motivated and was not against the government. He had said, “We have been protesting for the past several months demanding the arrest of the outgoing WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as he sexually assaulted women wrestlers.” An atmosphere was created that our movement is politically motivated. Let me make it clear to you that our protest is not politically motivated.
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We came to the protest site at Jantar Mantar in January and two BJP leaders had taken permission from the police. We have proof of taking permission from Jantar Mantar police station. It was taken by BJP leaders Tirath Rana and Babita Phogat.” Rana denied that violence would have broken out if wrestlers had immersed their Olympic medals in the Ganges river in Haridwar. Protesting wrestlers were detained by the police when they tried to march towards the new Parliament building on the day of its opening. A day later, the protesting wrestlers reached Haridwar to immerse their medals but were persuaded against doing so. Rana said, “There was no talk that doing so (immersing the medals) would lead to violence. There was anger among the players and they decided to immerse their medals in the Ganges but the people of the country believed that the players should not take such a step.
