Jwala Gutta, Swara Bhasker counter Babita Phogat over her anti-Jamaat statement

Few days ago, Phogat, who is now a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, had tweeted, "Coronavirus is India's second most enemy. Jahil Jamaati is still holding the number one spot." 

Countering the wrestler who had won a gold in 2014 Commonwealth Games, Gutta tweeted, "Sorry babita I don’t think this virus sees race or religion..I request you to take back ur statement ...we are sportspersons who represented our great nation which is secular and so beautiful...when we win all these people have celebrated us and our wins as their own!! " 

Accusing Phogat of selectively criticising the Tablighi event, Bhasker tweeted, "Babita ji, please take note of this statistics too. Have these devotees been tested for Coronavirus? Kindly comment on this too. Also please raise a question as to why the Delhi Police had given permission to the Tablighi Jamaat event. Rest I am always your fan."

At a time the idea of social distancing was embraced both by the Centre and the state government, Tablighi Jamaat, an "orthodox" missionary, in mid-March had congregated around 3,000 people at Alami Markaz Banglewali Masjid at Nizamuddin in New Delhi flouting all norms of self-isolation right under the nose of the Delhi Police which falls under Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Reports suggest around 2000-3000 preachers had congregated at the event of Tablighi Jamaat preachers in mid-March, just days after the Delhi government had banned the gatherings of 200 people at any place in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak.

The Union Health Ministry has also acknowledged that the spike in COVID-19 cases was partly due to the Jamaat event.

Undaunted by the criticisms and 'threats' on social media, Phogat on Friday released a video where she said, "Few days ago, I had posted a few tweets. Since then, I have been receiving abuses on Facebook, Messenger and Whatsapp. Some people are even threatening me. I want to tell them that I am not Zaira Wasim so I will not budge down due to your threats. I am not going to be afraid of your threats. I am the real Babita."

"I have fought for my country and will continue to do so and speak out in future. I stand by my tweet and I have said nothing wrong. I spoke about those who had led to the spread of Coronavirus....," said Phogat who had unsuccessfully contested the Haryana assembly elections in 2019 in BJP's ticket from Dadri.