"Heartbreaking": Pooja Bhatt Condemns IOA Chief PT Usha For "Gaslighting" Protesting Wrestlers
Actress and filmmaker Pooja Bhatt has slammed PT Usha for her comments against the protesting wrestlers.
The Indian sporting world was given a major shock when major wrestlers such as Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia protested against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh over alleged sexual harassment. On Thursday, the matter took a turn for the worse after Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief PT Usha criticised the public protest by the wrestlers. In the latest entertainment news, actor and filmmaker Pooja Bhatt has tweeted against PT Usha. She said that the IOA President is gaslighting the wrestlers.
"Thank you @jayantrld for your stand, for raising your voice and for being by their side when most have deserted them. It is heartbreaking to see our top athletes left with no choice but to take to the streets and to then be reprimanded/issue gaslit by legends like PT Usha," she tweeted.
Thank you @jayantrld for your stand,for raising your voice & for being by their side when most have deserted them. It is heartbreaking to see our top athletes left with no choice but to take to the streets & to then be reprimanded/issue gaslit by legends like #PTUsha https://t.co/LZBI2OPLm0
— Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) April 28, 2023
The original tweet by Jayant Singh that Pooja responded to read, “Our top wrestlers were on the streets in January and should have been heard, when they first spoke about abuse. PT Usha’s comments (are) in poor taste! I stand with my champions.”
For the unversed, grapplers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia have been protesting against Brijbhushan Sharan Singh. They are also demanding that the government should take action on their complaint.
The WFI chief has denied the allegations against him, and he is repeatedly saying that he will prove his innocence.
When asked by reporters about the ongoing protest, IOA President PT Usha had said: "Our feeling is that for sexual harassment complaints, IOA has a committee and athletes' commission. Instead of going to the street (again), they should have come to us, but they have not at all come to IOA."
On Friday, sportspersons such as Harbhajan Singh, Neeraj Chopra raised their voice and they asked the authorities to find a solution.
