Wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat on Sunday said that those who rejoiced over her defeat at the recently-held Paris Olympics should face charges of “sedition” for disrespecting the country. Phogat joined the Congress on August 6 and was fielded as the party’s candidate from the Julana constituency for the upcoming Haryana Assembly election.
Her remarks came after the recent statements by former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former Haryana minister Anil Vij against her.
“We have been hearing such statements (by BJP leaders) for the last 1.5 years. This shows their mentality. If they are saying that they are happy that I didn’t win at the Olympics, they should be tried for sedition. That medal didn’t belong to me but to the whole nation. They have disrespected the nation,” she said as per India Today.
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Phogat’s remarks came after comments from the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexual harassment by female wrestlers. Singh had accused Phogat of cheating and claimed she failed to win a medal because “God punished her.”
I Am Nation’s Daughter And Will Always Remain One: Phogat
Responding to the statement of Anil Vij referring to her as “Congress ki beti” (Congress’s daughter), Phogat responded, “I am the nation’s daughter and will always remain one.” She further criticised the BJP for not showing support or reaching out to her.
“When I returned to India from Paris, a huge roadshow took place in my welcome. No one from the BJP, be it the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, or any other leader, came to welcome me and show support. They just put statements on social media that we gave this much (monetary rewards) to me but everyone knows that they are doing it for votes,” India Today quoted Phogat as saying.
The Olympian also expressed gratitude to the Congress leadership, saying, “I am thankful to the Congress leadership, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and my elder brother Deepender Hooda, who has always guided us. I am grateful to be a part of a party which stood with us in our bad times.”
During the Paris Olympics, Vinesh Phogat became the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the Olympic final, but she was disqualified for being around 100 grams overweight in her 50-kilogram category weigh-in.
When asked about fellow wrestler Sakshee Malikkh’s comment on her entry into politics, Phogat said, “This was not just Sakshee Malikkh’s fight, but a fight for every woman, every female sportsperson who faces exploitation. This battle is far from over. We are fighting it in court. The BJP is using money and muscle to interfere with the investigation.”
Sakshee Malikkh stated that the decision of Vinesh and Bajrang to enter politics was their “personal decision” and that the women wrestlers’ protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh “shouldn’t be labeled as the different angle.” “What Sakshee said is true (about personal decision). But we are together and we will fight till the end,” Phogat said.
