Top 10 opposition leaders mock Modi over Vinesh’s disqualification

NEW DELHI: Vinesh Phogat’s tragic disqualification from the Paris Olympics due to missing the 50 kg weight limit before her gold medal match has sparked a political row against the Central Government for the unfortunate incident. Opponents claim this incident might be a calculated move by the BJP Government to retaliate against the 29-year-old wrestler for her vocal protests about alleged sexual misconduct by former Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Singh.

Here are the top 10 opposition leaders and what they said over the controversy-

1. Congress leader Randeep Surjewala

140 crore Indians are stunned today with the sudden disqualification of Vinesh Phogat. It is a black day for Indian Sports.

Modi Government has failed Indian sportspersons and the sports arena… Let us not forget that this is the same Vinesh Phogat who protested at Delhi’s… pic.twitter.com/Q5TAQw8jMv

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) August 7, 2024

“Modi Government has failed Indian sportspersons and the sports arena… Let us not forget that this is the same Vinesh Phogat who protested at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for 140 days in 2023 as the Modi Government looked sideways and did not give justice to her… There is a sinister conspiracy behind denying a Gold medal to India.”

2. NCP(SCP) leader Supriya Sule

The statement of the sports minister in Parliament on Vinesh Phogat is highly condemnable. Vinesh has lost a medal and there has to be a detailed inquiry of the nutritionist, the doctors, a physiotherapist, and the entire support team sanctioned and selected by the IOA that…

— Supriya Sule (@supriya_sule) August 7, 2024

“The statement of the sports minister in Parliament on Vinesh Phogat is highly condemnable. Vinesh has lost a medal and there has to be a detailed inquiry of the nutritionist, the doctors, a physiotherapist, and the entire support team sanctioned and selected by the IOA that accompanied her… The support team was approved by the government and IOA and has to be held accountable. Mansukh Mandavia, the sports minister, justifying and defending the team is absurd and disgusting, indirectly blaming Vinesh for being overweight… It’s a sad day for sports and the seriousness with which the government and IOA treat women athletes.”

3. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi

Today is a sad day for sports in India and unfortunate that the Government in its response has been found wanting. After hearing the statement of the sports minister in the Lok Sabha today on Vinesh Phogat it’s apparent the Minister has chosen to make her the fall girl. Is it…

— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) August 7, 2024

“Today is a sad day for sports in India and it is unfortunate that the Government in its response has been found wanting. After hearing the statement of the sports minister in the Lok Sabha today on Vinesh Phogat it’s apparent the Minister has chosen to make her the fall girl. Is it because she took this same government head-on in her quest for justice against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh?”

4. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann

#WATCH | Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann meets Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s uncle Mahavir Phogat in Charkhi Dadri, Haryana

CM Mann says, “…such mistakes are happening on such a high level. Coaches and physiotherapists are paid in lakhs. Have they gone there for holidays?” pic.twitter.com/HssegHyHPU

— ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2024

“I don’t want to connect with this politics. But please tell me, have the members of the Indian Olympic Association gone there on holiday? Indian Olympic Association did not object to this even once. There was no tweet (from PM Modi) when she (Vinesh Phogat) reached the final, but a tweet was posted when she was disqualified. Come on!”

5. Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav

विनेश फोगाट के फ़ाइनल में न खेल पाने की चर्चा के तकनीकी कारणों की गहरी जाँच-पड़ताल हो और सुनिश्चित किया जाए कि सच्चाई क्या है और इसके पीछे की असली वजह क्या है।

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) August 7, 2024

“Conduct a thorough investigation into the technical reasons behind Vinesh Phogat’s inability to compete in the final, and ensure that the truth is uncovered and the real cause is identified.”

6. TMC MP Derek O’Brien

My intervention today in Parliament. “Medal or no medal, we salute you. You are a hero Vinesh Phogat. Thank you for what you have done for India”

BRAVE VINESH PHOGAT who fought the whole establishment deserves justice. Something is rotten. Very rotten. THE TRUTH MUST COME OUT. pic.twitter.com/BeAHl0D3AS

— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) August 7, 2024

“Brave Vinesh Phogat who fought the whole establishment deserves justice. Something is rotten. Very rotten. The truth must come out.”

7. Lok Sabha MP Chandrashekhar Azad

Excellent speech by Chandra Shekhar Azad on respect for women.

Thank you @BhimArmyChief pic.twitter.com/IM7pgdCXlC

— Riya Sahu (@__Riyusahucg) August 7, 2024

Lok Sabha MP Chandrashekhar Azad also criticized the government while speaking in the Rajya Sabha yesterday. “The minister said we gave so much money…did you do charity?” Azad asked. “The job of the govt was to handle this situation and raise the pride of this country. But you people behaved carelessly and the nation had to bear the brunt.”

8. AAP MP Sanjay Singh

देश की तानाशाह सरकार को समर्पित पंक्तियाँ।

एक आँसू भी हुकूमत के लिए ख़तरा है
तुम ने देखा नहीं आँखों का समुंदर होना @Phogat_Vinesh के साथ हुई साज़िशों को देश नही भूलेगा। https://t.co/X7kwEocCoK

— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) August 8, 2024

In a scathing attack against the government, Sanjay Singh quote tweeted the following words over Vinesh Phogat’s retirement post on X:

“These are lines dedicated to the country’s tyrannical government.
Even a single tear is a threat to the regime.
You haven’t yet seen the ocean in the eyes.
The nation will not forget the conspiracies against Vinesh.”

9. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh

विनेश फोगाट का पेरिस ओलंपिक में सिल्वर या गोल्ड मेडल पक्का है। क्या नॉन-बायोलॉजिकल प्रधानमंत्री उन्हें कॉल करेंगे? निश्चित रूप से उन्हें बधाई देने के लिए, लेकिन इससे भी महत्वपूर्ण यह है कि उस शर्मानाक घटना के लिए माफ़ी मांगने के लिए जब महिला पहलवानों के विरोध प्रदर्शन के दौरान…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 6, 2024

“Vinesh Phogat is assured of a silver or a gold medal at Paris. Will the non-biological PM call her? To congratulate her of course but more importantly to apologise for the atrocious manner in which the Delhi Police misbehaved with her during the women wrestlers’ protest?”

10. RLP MP Hanuman Beniwal

#WATCH | On Vinesh Phogat’s Olympics disqualification, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party MP Hanuman Beniwal says, “The PM says we have good international relations, then how did this happen with Vinesh? 140 crore Indians are sad today. There is a big conspiracy in this, it should be… pic.twitter.com/YuhvZDWtnF

— ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2024

“The PM says we have good international relations, then how did this happen with Vinesh? 140 crore Indians are sad today. There is a big conspiracy in this, it should be investigated…The Sports minister’s statement made in the House which mentioned how much money the govt has spent on the athletes, is an insult to the athletes.”