New Delhi: “I am no Zaira Wasim, I won’t bow down to your threats.”
This is the message Indian wrestler and Commonwealth medallist Babita Phogat conveyed in a video posted to Twitter Friday for the people condemning her.
Phogat, who joined the BJP last year, claimed she was receiving abusive and threatening phone calls and messages on the social media platform after she tweeted about the Tablighi Jaamat.
यदि आप बबीता फोगाट को सपोर्ट करते हैं तो उन तक यह बात जरूर पहुंचा दीजिए और उनको बोलिए ध्यान से कान खोल कर सुन लें। pic.twitter.com/gqec3lQwPE
— Babita Phogat (@BabitaPhogat) April 17, 2020
On 15 April, Phogat had taken to Twitter to say that coronavirus was only India’s second biggest problem, and “ignorant Jamaatis” were its biggest cause of concern.
कोरोना वायरस भारत की दूसरे नंबर की सबसे बड़ी समस्या है।
जाहिल जमाती अभी भी पहले नंबर पर बना हुआ है।#jahiljamati
— Babita Phogat (@BabitaPhogat) April 15, 2020
A few weeks ago, she also posted about “ignorant Muslim pigs”, who, she claimed, were spreading coronavirus and used the hashtag #NizamuddinIdiots. Many on Twitter were quick to point out that Aamir Khan, who created Dangal, the 2016 biopic based on her life and her sister Geeta Phogat, is a Muslim.
Enough with hate. #SuspendBabitaPhogat#SuspendBabitaPhogat pic.twitter.com/rwW9e98YMt
— UP East Youth Congress (@IYC_UPEast) April 17, 2020
As the controversy grew, the hashtag #SuspendBabitaPhogat began trending after Twitter users accused Phogat of posting communal and divisive tweets.
Enough with hate. #SuspendBabitaPhogat
— Hasiba | حسيبة 🌈 (@HasibaAmin) April 16, 2020
Phogat hits back
In the video posted Friday, the wrestler said she was the ‘real’ Babita Phogat and would not get scared or intimidated, and would continue speaking up for her country.
Speaking in Hindi, she defended her tweet, saying it wasn’t wrong, and only spoke about those who were spreading Covid-19. She further said that if the Tablighi Jamaat had not spread the virus, the lockdown would have been lifted by now and India would have beaten the virus.
She ended her video by saying that she would continue to tell the truth. She also said she was no Zaira Wasim to be intimidated by threats.
Phogat was referring to the national award-winning Kashmiri actress Zaira Wasim, who played the role of Babita’s sister Geeta in Dangal. Wasim received death threats after she met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in 2017. She was also constantly trolled on social media. In 2019, she announced she was quitting Bollywood.
Calls to suspend Phogat’s Twitter handle come a day after the micro-blogging site suspended the account of actress Kangana Ranaut’s sister Rangoli Chandel.
Chandel had advocated violence against Muslims and “secular media”, and accused “mullas” of attacking and killing doctors. Phogat had tweeted in support of Chandel.
आज रंगोली चंदेल दीदी ने किसकी पूँछ पर पैर रख दिया। आजकल ट्विटर भी सच्ची बात लिखने वालों से काफी खफा रहता है।#RangoliChandel
— Babita Phogat (@BabitaPhogat) April 16, 2020
Also read: Kangana Ranaut’s sister Rangoli Chandel’s Twitter account suspended over ‘shoot mullas’ post
Well Done Babita ji.
We should stop this, a huge damage by these kind of peoples have done in last few years, still i wonder those new social media days was great. Nowadays only hatred
Mr Boris Johnson wrote: ‘There must be something about Islam that indeed helps to explain why there was no rise of the bourgeoisie, no liberal capitalism and therefore no spread of democracy in the Muslim world’.
He added Islam was held back by ‘fatal religious conservatism’ and the Muslim world had ‘fallen behind, the more bitterness and confusion there has been, to the point where virtually every global flash point you can think of – from Bosnia to Palestine to Iraq to Kashmir – involves some sense of Muslim grievance.’ DAILY MAIL
These things surely happens once you joined Hindutva based Political Parties. It’s better for a wrestler to not join political parties. Nowadays it is common things to spread hatred just target a community and you almost done with your propaganda. We should United against these hate and stop all these asap.
It is your pay back time. All the terrorism and killing innocent people are all coming back. When others were killed, you were silent.
These things surely happens once you joined BJP. It’s better for a wrestler to not join political parties. Nowadays it is common things to spread hatred just target Muslims and you almost done with your propaganda. We should United against these hate and stop all these asap.
Mind blowing dear. Keep it up.
Babita, we Indian Muslims has condemned the mis conduct of SOME of the tabligi jamatis, what they did was unacceptable. Our police force and judiciary system are already in process of taking stringent action against those jamatis BUT why the hell you had to create tension and hatred among th people of different communities. There some people in all religions communities who are jahil and anpad gawar . Instead of creating communal hatred against one religion you should have shut your mouth and waited for our Police and legal authority to take action against those jamatis.
Look dude, the problem ain’t the jamatis. The problem is the psychotic attitude of Muslims I’m defending the jamatis. For a majority of you, allah matters more than the humanity. These people used it as a terrorism tool. So, if that means I have to become prejudiced against the whole Muslim community then I will cause frankly I don’t give a damn about you guys think
Oh my god, this young girl has so much poison in her mind. If TJ was responsible for prolonged lock, what she has to say about other gatherings, were they curing Coronavirus. It is unfortunate young minds are being filled withe vemon which is not good sign.
Vemon by Demon shd I say? Spell it”Venom”. U r caught. Check twice before posting tweets Mr. Nagarajan.
No where in the tweet it was mentioned ignorant Muslim Pigs, it was written Ignorant pigs. If you are lacking a better translator, kindly look for a better one. I know this comment will moderated first and then allowed to post, but correct the mistake above. Dont mislead.
Stop criticizing a particular community if you can please lend your helping hands to the poor daily wage earners who are starving in the lockdown. Never forget when you point your alleging finger towards any community the other three fingers point towards you the famous adage you should not forget. Just to get at the higher step on the ladder of political hierarchy you have drenched billion of muslims in pain around the world. Best thing for you is to apologize the muslims at large. A well wisher of yours.
And when will Muslims apologise for ll the terrorism , killings and mayhem they had done in the name of Islam?
She is a hate monger and her language betrays her background. she is trying to be beholden to her political bosses
Truth is always bitter and difficult to swallow. Hats off to the Champ for speaking the truth and sticking to it inspite of abuses from the Corona19 suicide bombers and other jihadi terrorists along with their lick spittle supporters. We are with you all the way.
#standwithPhogat
#standwithFreeSpeech
#standwithTruth
Stop abusing Babita. She is not SPREADING CORONA VIRUS
She is awesome. I love her and her candour.