Coronavirus Outbreak: Wrestler Babita Phogat under fire over controversial Twitter rant

Following Kangana Ranaut’s sister Rangoli Chandel’s Twitter account being suspended for her controversial remarks, 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist wrestler Babita Phogat too has been on the receiving end for her tweets.

On Wednesday, Phogat took to Twitter to post a controversial remark targeting Muslims.

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

While Chandel’s account was deemed deeply communal and pulled down by Twitter indefinitely, Phogat, seemingly took a stand for Rangoli. The wrestler launched another controversial tweet on Thursday claiming that Rangoli Chandel’s tweet was taken down because Twitter did not like those who spoke the truth on its platform.

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

Needless to say, her Twitter rant has ruffled many feathers.

Social media stands divided with people either supporting the sportsperson or speaking up against her comments. The hashtags ##SuspendBabitaPhogat and #IsupportBabitaPhogat have both started trending on Twitter.

While one user posted “Enough with hate #SuspendBabitaPhogat,” another user wrote, “Someone who got fame through wrestling & also a movie gave a message to people but such hate mongers have no place on Twitter. Suspend her Account.#SuspendBabitaPhogat.”

On the other hand there were those who stood by the sportsperson, with one Twitter user writing, “Is there any question on whom to support? #ISupportBabitaPhogat.”

Wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt and Bajrang Punia came out in support of Phogat as well.

खिलाड़ी गोलगप्पे बेच कर मेहनत से कमा कर खाते हैं फ़्री का तो नहि खाते ।फ़िल्म की कमाई किसने खाई । और कुछ ज़िंदगी में किया तो फ़िल्म बनी । नहि तो तुम अपने पे बनवा लो कोई फ़िल्म । https://t.co/vsAJdzJmX6

— Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) April 16, 2020

मिल्खा सिंह, मेरी कोम, पान सिंह तोमर, गीता ,बबिता इन पे फ़िल्म इसीलिए बनी क्यूँकि वो इस योग्य थे । सरकार खिलाड़ी की आर्थिक स्तिथि को सुधार रही है। खिलाड़ी देश के लिए संघर्ष कर रहे है , ओर आप क्या कर रहें हों https://t.co/AqDTe5R98B

— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) April 16, 2020

Phogat’s controversial comments come under a time the country is reeling under the coronavirus pandemic which has claimed over 400 lives and affected more than 11,000 people in India alone.