Wrestler Babita Phogat, Mahavir Singh Phogat join BJP

Accomplished wrestler Babita Phogat and her father Mahavir Singh Phogat joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the party headquarters in the national capital on Monday. They were inducted into the ruling party in the presence of Union minister Kiren Rijiju.

The Phogats joining the BJP was confirmed on microblogging site Twitter by the official handle of the party.

Wrestler @BabitaPhogat and her father Shri Mahavir Singh Phogat join BJP at BJP HQ. #BJPMembership pic.twitter.com/qW8jSXjq63 — BJP (@BJP4India) August 12, 2019

Speaking at the event, Rijiju said that the party was happy to induct the Phogats. He showered praises on Mahavir Singh Phogat, calling him a role model for the society. "The way he created champions from a small village, I laud his efforts," said Rijiju.

The minister also expressed happiness over Babita joining the BJP. Referring to the award-winning wrestler as a youth icon, Rijiju said that she can continue to be connected with the sports world after joining the BJP.

Mahavir Singh Phogat was earlier a member of the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), which was founded by Dushyant Chautala in Haryana in December 2018. Phogat was made the head of the sports wing of the party.

Babita Phogat, who is an award-winning wrestler, has been a vocal supporter of the BJP. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre scrapped Article 370, which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, she had voiced her support on microblogging site Twitter.

After the announcement by Home Minister Amit Shah on Jammu and Kashmir in the Rajya Sabha, Babita had tweeted in Hindi, “This day will always be remembered. Salute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Jai Hind.”

She had also backed Haryana Chief Minister and BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar over the latter’s remark on “Kashmiri brides”, which had triggered a political row. She had said that the Haryana Chief Minister had not given any statement which portrayed women wrongly. She had urged media to not distort the BJP leader’s comments.