Olympic wrestler Sakshi Malik recently made serious allegations against fellow wrestler and BJP leader Babita Phogat in a heated interview. In an attempt to oust Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Singh, Malik said that Phogat instigated wrestlers to protest against her. This claim has sparked a serious debate on the reasons behind the frequent protests in the wrestling world.
Sakshi Made Allegations of Sigging
Sakshi Malik alleged that Babita Phogat had assembled several wrestlers and convinced them to challenge Brij Bhushan Singh. According to Malik, Phogat's real goal was to become the president of the WFI. "Babita approached us with the idea of protesting against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as she had her own agenda," Malik said, underscoring Phogat's attempt to use the protests for her personal gain.
Protest and political participation
In the protests, which sought to draw attention to claims of sexual harassment and poor leadership in the WFI, Malik made it clear that Phogat was not the only person behind the project. He said serious concerns about harassment in the federation were another driving force behind the effort.
Malik emphasised that although Phogat helped organise the wrestlers, it was the wrestlers' personal experiences that drove the protest. "Babita was greedy to become the president of the WFI in place of Brij Bhushan," Malik asserted, and that Phogat had called a large conference with several wrestlers to plan their joint action.
Malik categorically denied the allegation that the Congress was behind the protest movement, even though BJP leaders had assisted in getting authorisation for the demonstration.
The Main Context of The Protests
Serious allegations against Brij Bhushan Singh, who was accused of sexual harassment by several female wrestlers last year, provide the backdrop for this confrontation. In response to these allegations, several wrestlers demanded a full investigation, which originally sparked the protests. Malik's revelations complicate the story even more, as he believes internal power struggles make the pursuit of justice more difficult.
Malik said he felt a female president could push for necessary reforms of the federation. He expressed disappointment at Phogat's strategies, saying, "We thought she would sit with us in the protest and raise her voice as a wrestler." A larger discontent among wrestlers who want solidarity and true representation in their struggle against injustice is reflected in this statement.
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