Babita Phogat on cousin Vinesh joining Congress: Bhupinder Hooda created rift

Wrestler-turned-politician Babita Phogat has accused senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda of creating a rift in her family after her cousin Vinesh Phogat joined the grand old party recently.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Babita Phogat, who is a BJP leader, said 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 been to divide and rule. They have always worked to break families,” Babita Phogat said.

The former wrestler also said 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. Guru shows the right path,” Babita said.

The BJP leader also said that Vinesh Phogat, who missed out on a medal in Paris Olympics, should have focused on her wrestling career and she could have won an Olympic Gold in 2028.

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

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, saying 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. Being a dedicated party worker, I will continue to discharge every responsibility given by the organisation,” she said.