Pooja Bhatt condemns IOA chief PT Usha for gaslighting wrestlers’ protest: ‘Heartbreaking’

Actor-director Pooja Bhatt has come out in support of the ongoing protest by wrestlers at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Taking to Twitter, she thanked Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Singh for his support and also criticised the recent remarks made by PTA Usha, Indian Olympic Association, who called the protest an act of indiscipline.
She 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.’
The wrestlers are protesting against the alleged sexual misconduct committed by BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
PT Usha 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.’
She added, ‘This kind of agitation is not good for the country’s image and amounts to indiscipline. This negative publicity is not good for the country. We want to be with any athlete who has represented India, but under the rules, regulations and law of the land.’
Actors Swara Bhasker and Sonu Sood have spoken in support of wrestlers. Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Deepak Punia among other wrestlers are protesting in Delhi.
Also watch- ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’ Twitter review: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is a ‘show stealer’