'Yogeshwar leaked names of complainants': Vinesh Phogat lashes out at Olympic medallist

Vinesh Phogat on Friday lashed out at London Olympic medallist Yogeshwar Dutt, laying out the crack marks within the Indian wrestling fraternity over the sexual harassment charges against outgoing WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Phogat, one of the most prominent faces leading the revolt against Singh, said that the wrestling world will remember Yogeshwar Dutt for being a spineless lackey of the outgoing WFI president, hours after Yogeshwar, who is also a BJP member, questioned the exemption granted to her and five others from the Asian Games and World Championships trials.

Dutt, a London Olympic medallist, posted a Twitter video on Friday, questioning the logic and criteria behind such an exemption.

Phogat also alleged that Yogeshwar had laughed off the sexual harassment complaints against the WFI chief during the oversight panel hearings.

"The whole wrestling world understood that Yogeshwar was eating leftovers from Brij Bhushan's plate. If anyone raises voice against injustice in the society, then Yogeshwar definitely vomits," Vinesh wrote on her official Twitter page.

The fiery Vinesh, double Asian Games and triple CWG gold medallist didn't stop short of calling Yogeshwar, a Brij Bhushan lackey and someone who has betrayed his own fraternity.

"Wrestling world will always remember you for licking the feet of Brij Bhushan," she wrote.

"As long as a Jaichand like Yogeshwar remains in wrestling, surely the spirits of the oppressors will remain high," she said in a reference to Kanauj King Jaichand, who is historically remembered for conspiring with Muhammad of Ghor to defeat Prithviraj Chauhan.

Vinesh also alleged that Yogeshwar tried to mentally disintegrate the complainants during the hearings.

She said, "When I heard Yogeshwar Dutt's ugly laugh, it stuck in my mind. He was a part of both the committees, formed to probe allegations (by wrestlers). When women wrestlers were narrating their ordeals in front of the committee members, he used to laugh.

"When two female wrestlers came out to drink water, he followed them and said nothing will happen to Brij Bhushan. Go and resume your practice," Phogat remarked.

Vinesh also alleged that Yogeshwar asked female wrestlers to agree to a compromise and drop charges against Singh.

She said that after the committee meeting, Yogeshwar leaked the names of women complainants to Brij Bhushan and the media.

"He also called the family members of many women wrestlers and told them to keep their daughters under control. He was already publicly giving statements against women wrestlers, yet he was kept in both committees. He constantly prevented wrestlers and coaches from joining the protest. The whole wrestling world understood that Yogeshwar was eating out of Brij Bhushan's plate," she wrote.

She accused Yogeshwar of making unsavoury remarks about the 'jawans' in Indian Army, students, and people from minority communities.

"Earlier he made cheap comments about farmers, jawans, students, Muslims, Sikhs and now he is engaged in defaming women wrestlers," she added.

Vinesh said Yogeshwar hasn't been able to win any election because he is a traitor and a "poisonous snake".

She said, "Because of betraying society, you have fallen on your face twice in the elections. And I challenge that you will never win an election in your life, because society is always careful of poisonous snakes and never lets them set foot."

(With PTI inputs)