Sakshi Malik Accuses Babita Phogat of Political Motives in Wrestlers’ Protest

Olympic wrestler Sakshi Malik has dismissed claims that the wrestlers’ protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was politically motivated, asserting that it was Babita Phogat who instigated the protest to further her ambitions. In an interview with India Today, Malik alleged that Phogat, a BJP leader who contested elections in Haryana, urged the wrestlers to protest, stating, “She had her own agenda — she wanted to become the WFI president.”

Malik also refuted suggestions that the Congress party was involved in the protest, highlighting that initial support came from two BJP leaders, Phogat and Tirath Rana, who helped the wrestlers obtain permission to demonstrate in Haryana. She expressed disappointment that Phogat did not continue to support the protest as expected, saying, “We thought she would sit with us in the protest and raise her voice against the wrongdoing as a fellow wrestler.”

This public feud is not new, as Malik previously criticized Phogat for her alignment with the government and accused her of undermining the protesting wrestlers. In response, Phogat labeled Malik and her peers as “Congress puppets,” intensifying the rift between the two prominent figures in Indian wrestling.

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