Babita Phogat Reacts to Vinesh Joining Congress

BJP leader and wrestler-turned-politician Babita Phogat accused senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda of creating a rift in her family after her cousin Vinesh Phogat joined the Congress recently. Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Babita Phogat said that Vinesh took a hasty decision when she joined the Congress.

“Bhupinder Hooda succeeded in creating a rift in the Phogat family. People will teach him a lesson. The Congress’s agenda has always been to divide and rule. They have always worked to break families,” said Babita Phogat.

The former wrestler also expressed that Vinesh should have listened to Mahavir Phogat, her father, and Vinesh’s uncle. “Mahavir Phogat is Vinesh’s guru. She should have obeyed her guru. The guru shows the right path,” Babita stated.

The BJP leader further commented that Vinesh Phogat, who missed out on a medal at the Paris Olympics, should have focused on her wrestling career and had the potential to win an Olympic gold in 2028.

On September 6, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Congress. The party has fielded Vinesh from the Julana constituency for the October 5 Haryana Assembly elections.

Vinesh Phogat has been critical of the BJP after she and other wrestlers protested last year against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a former BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India chief. The wrestlers accused him of harassing several young junior wrestlers.

Babita Phogat, who joined the BJP in 2019, was not named as a candidate by the party for the Haryana election. However, she supported the BJP’s decision, stating that “the party is bigger than the individual, and the country is bigger than the party.”

“I stand with the decision of the top leadership of the BJP. As a dedicated party worker, I will continue to discharge every responsibility given by the organization,” she added.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

See Full Bio