Babita and her father Mahavir Phogat had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on August 12.The Haryana government has accepted the resignation of international wrestler Babita Phogat from state police, paving way for the grappler, who had last month joined the BJP, to pursue a political career.
Babita and her Dronacharya awardee father Mahavir Phogat — whose struggle to coach his daughters and their eventual success inspired the Bollywood movie Dangal — had joined the BJP on August 12. Sources said the BJP is likely to field Babita from either Badhra or Dadri Assembly constituency in the upcoming state polls.
The 29-year-old sub-inspector with Haryana Police had submitted her resignation a month ago, which was accepted on September 10, Surinder Pal Singh, Commandant, 5th Battalion, Haryana Armed Police, Madhuban, said Thursday. “There is a process which has to be followed before any such resignation is accepted. After due process, the resignation has been accepted now,” he said.
Babita, who had won the silver medal in the Commonwealth Games in Australia more than a year ago, confirmed she submitted her resignation on August 8, days before she joined the BJP.
“As a government servant, I couldn’t have been a part of any political party. Hence, I had submitted my resignation. I wanted to join a nationalist party and I believe that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar think about the welfare of the nation,” said Babita, who was posted as sub-inspector at Madhuban.
Then chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had appointed Babita in the Haryana Police in the sports quota after she won the gold medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
On speculations that she will contest the Assembly polls, Babita said she will discharge whatever role the BJP gives her. “Being given a ticket to contest elections is not in my hands. Whatever the party decides, I will be ready for the role. I have been meeting people from the villages in my district and listening to them. My aim is to listen to the people and to work for their betterment,” she said.
The grappler, who has been away from the wrestling scene for the last six months due to a knee injury, said she has not ended her career. “Once the injury heals, I will return to wrestling and compete again. Whatever I am, it is only due to wrestling and I cannot leave that,” she added.
