The tragic manner in which wrestling champion Vinesh Phogat was denied a medal at the ongoing Paris Olympics has the potential of being a tricky political issue for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre. This has become especially important with Phogat announcing her decision to 'retire' from the sport.
There are multiple angles to why this has become a political issue.
Questions Regarding Vinesh Phogat's Disqualification
A number of Opposition parties such as the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have alleged that Phogat's disqualification may have been the result of a conspiracy.
The Congress has also questioned why Phogat was made to compete in the 50 kg category and not 53 kg category.
NCPSP leader Supriya Sule has demanded comprehensive investigation into the roles of the nutritionist, doctors, physiotherapist, and the entire support team approved by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
While the technical questions are important, the elephant in the room is BJP leader and Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment by a number of female wrestlers.
Vinesh Phogat was one of the most prominent faces of the wrestlers' protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. It is, therefore, natural that the allegations of a conspiracy against her will be seen in the context of her involvement in the wresters' protest.
BJP's Response in the Vinesh Phogat Matter
The BJP's response to what happened to Phogat at the Olympics is being seen as "arrogant". Even before Phogat's controversial disqualification, BJP MP from Mandi Kangana Ranaut had put a post on her Instagram stories saying that it showed PM Modi's greatness that his government gave all the facilities to Phogat despite her participation in the wrestlers' protest.
But the real trouble started after the disqualification. A few BJP leaders made statements that appeared to blame Phogat.
Mathura MP Hema Malini said, "It's important to keep weight in check. Look what happened because of 100 grams. Now she won't get another chance".
Former Badminton player and BJP member Saina Nehwal said, "Somewhere there has been a mistake on Vinesh's part too. She should take the blame too. Before such a big match, such a mistake is not right".
The statement that drew the most flak came from Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. While informing the Parliament about Phogat's disqualification, Mandaviya also made it a point to mention that the "government had spent Rs 74,45,575 on Vinesh Phogat".
This sparked considerable outrage.
Congress MP Mancikam Tagore gave an adjournment motion demanding that Mandaviya's remarks be withdrawn.
In its official Youtube channel, the Congress posted a clip of news anchor Sandeep Chaudhary tearing into Mandaviya saying, "This isn't your money, it is the country's money. She had gone to achieve glory for India, not for your personal work. The taxpayers spend Rs 20 lakh for you to comfortably as minister. Should we start asking you to give an account?"
Even a few leaders in the Haryana BJP say that the statement was "avoidable".
"The minister was informing Parliament which is his job. But giving the Rs 70 lakh figure gave the wrong message," a Haryana BJP functionary told The Quint on condition of anonymity.
Another leader said that "It is a very emotional moment for many people, especially in Haryana. The communication could have been better. Government is getting criticised even though they are not at fault in any way".
But Will it Have Any Impact in Haryana?
Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that a Rajya Sabha seat in Haryana is vacant and if Congress had the numbers they would have nominated Vinesh Phogat.
However, Phogat isn't 30 years old yet, which is the minimum age required to become a Rajya Sabha member. And the last date for filing nominations for the vacant seat falls just a few days before her 30th birthday.
But it is true that the entire fiasco may have added to the negativity towards the BJP that seems to have already existed in Haryana.
In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the BJP's vote share in Haryana fell by 11.9 percentage points that the Congress' increased by 15 percentage points compared to 2019, a massive swing.
To a great extent, the Congress gained due to the shift of Jat votes, especially in seats like Hisar, Sirsa, Sonepat and Rohtak.
The wrestlers' protest was also the third major stir against the BJP with Jats as the main focus, the other two being the Jat reservation protest of 2016 and the farmers' protest of 2020-21.
Recent opinion polls also suggest that Jat disaffection against the BJP may carry forward into the upcoming Assembly elections.
Will Vinesh Phogat Enter the Political Arena?
Phogat has announced her retirement from professional wrestling though efforts are on the get her to reconsider her decision.
It is true that even among the protesting wrestlers, Phogat was among the most politically assertive.
For instance, she was among the few wrestlers who didn't restrict her attacks to Brij Bhushan but accused the Modi government itself of failing to act against him.
In an interview, Phogat had alleged that she had told PM Modi about the harassment that female wrestlers had faced at the hands of Brij Bhushan.
In a letter to PM Modi she had also asked, "Are female athletes only meant for showcasing on government advertisements?".
It is also important to mention here that Phogat had openly hailed Bilkis Bano for legally challenging the release of the men who had been convicted for raping her during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
However, it remains to be seen whether she will actively take the political plunge. The Congress is likely to woo her in the run-up to the Assembly elections, as is evident for Hooda's proposal to send her to the Rajya Sabha. But those in the know say that all bridges with the BJP haven't been burnt and that it can't be taken for granted that Phogat will join an Opposition party and openly take on the BJP.
What can't be denied is that the BJP has further painted itself in a corner with its continued political patronage of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. While the BJP top brass did make a symbolic concession by not giving Brij Bhushan a ticket from his pocket borough Kaiserganj in the Lok Sabha elections, it instead nominated his son Karan Bhushan Singh.
This made it evident that the BJP is standing with Brij Bhushan Singh despite the wrestlers' protest. The statements that Vinesh Phogat and the BJP leadership make in the next few weeks may be the space to watch.
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