Olympic wrestler Sakshi Malik has accused Babita Phogat, a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), of pushing wrestlers to protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), claiming she had ambitions to become the federation’s president.
Babita Phogat Allegedly Assembled Wrestlers to Incite Protest
In a recent interview with India Today TV, Sakshi Malik revealed that Babita Phogat played a crucial role in rallying wrestlers to speak out against the WFI’s alleged wrongdoings, including accusations of molestation by its president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. According to Malik, Phogat’s motivation for encouraging the protest was to eventually take over Brij Bhushan’s position as the head of the WFI.
“Babita Phogat approached us with the idea of protesting against Brij Bhushan Singh because she had her own agenda — she wanted to become the WFI president,” Malik stated in the interview, as reported by India Today.
Clarifying Misconceptions Around Political Support
Malik also addressed rumours that the protest was backed by the Congress party, labelling them false. Instead, she credited two BJP members, Babita Phogat and Tirath Rana, for securing the necessary permissions for the wrestlers to hold demonstrations in Haryana.
Cracks in the Protest Movement
Sakshi Malik, who was one of the key figures in the movement against Brij Bhushan, discussed how internal divisions weakened the protest over time. According to her, individuals close to fellow wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat started manipulating the situation, driven by personal gain. This information was also shared in her recently released book, Witness.
Allegations Against Brij Bhushan and the Protest’s Development
The protest, led by Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat, centred around accusations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former WFI president. The allegations are currently being heard in a Delhi court. While Bajrang and Vinesh were exempted from trials for the 2023 Asian Games by an ad-hoc committee overseeing wrestling matters post-WFI’s suspension, Sakshi Malik opted not to accept such privileges, distancing herself from her colleagues’ decisions.
Babita Phogat’s Role and the Wrestlers’ Trust
In her conversation with India Today, Malik emphasized that although the protest was initially suggested by Babita Phogat, it wasn’t solely driven by her influence. “We didn’t blindly follow her,” Malik noted. The wrestlers were fully aware of the severe problems within the federation, including sexual harassment. They believed that appointing a female president, especially someone like Babita Phogat, who was also a sportsperson, could lead to meaningful reforms. However, they never expected her to exploit the situation for her own benefit.
End of the Protest
The wrestlers’ protest concluded after authorities stopped their march towards the new Parliament Building on May 28, 2023. This marked the end of months of demonstrations seeking justice and reform in the WFI.
Political Moves by Vinesh and Bajrang
After the protest, both Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia entered politics, joining the Congress party ahead of the Haryana state elections. Vinesh contested from the Julana constituency and secured a victory, while Bajrang was appointed head of the party’s national farmers’ wing.
Before her political journey, Vinesh faced a significant setback in her sporting career. She was disqualified from the Olympic finals in Paris in the 50kg category for exceeding the weight limit by 100 grams, marking a problematic low point in her wrestling career.
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