Pooja Bhatt accuses PT Usha of gaslighting wrestlers: ‘Heartbreaking to see top athletes being reprimanded by legends’

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief PT Usha had recently criticised the public protest by wrestlers over alleged sexual harassment by Wrestling Federation India boss Brijbhushan Sharan Singh. Now, actor-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt has tweeted against PT Usha. She thanked Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Singh for raising his voice for the wrestlers, after he tweeted PT Usha’s recent comments are in ‘poor taste’. Also read: Pooja Bhatt reacts to Bajrang Dal ‘protests’ against Pathaan in Ahmedabad, reminds all what a ‘riot’ look like

On Friday, Pooja Bhatt tweeted, “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 (folded hand emoji).” 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.”

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia have been protesting against Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, and demanding that the government should take action on their complaint. They had also written to PT Usha to act on the matter. While Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, a BJP MP, has denied the allegations against him and said that he will prove he is innocent, PT Usha recently criticised the wrestlers for not waiting for the report of a committee that is looking into their allegations and sitting on a public protest in Delhi.

“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,” Usha had told reporters after the sports body’s executive committee meeting. Responding to her, the protesting wrestlers said they were hurt by PT Usha’s comments as they looked up to her for support. Wrestler Sakshi Malik told reporters on Thursday, “We feel hurt by PT Usha’s comment. She is not supporting us despite being a woman herself. What indiscipline have we done? We are sitting here peacefully. If we had got justice, we would not have done this.”