Wrestler-turned-politician and Haryana Congress MLA Vinesh Phogat on Monday questioned the BJP's slogan 'Ek hai toh safe hai' in the context of women's safety and asked if the women seeking justice were not "Ladli" (beloved).

Addressing a press conference in Pune, she alleged that in Karnataka as well as in Uttar Pradesh, the saffron party stood by those accused of exploiting women.

Phogat, who was among the wrestlers who led an agitation seeking action against former BJP MP and ex-Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers, spoke to reporters on the last day of campaigning for the November 20 assembly polls in Maharashtra.

"I want to tell BJP leaders, you are saying 'Ek hai toh safe hai (we are safe if we are one), but (we) will be safe when this leader of yours stops exploiting women," remarked the three-time Olympian in an apparent reference to Singh.

Referring to the Ladki Bahin Yojna, the Mahayuti's flagship welfare scheme for underprivileged women in Maharashtra, the Congress MLA said, "They have now brought a scheme for women. But I fail to understand where does their affection for women vanish when they are agitating 100 metres from prime minister's house." The BJP is part of the ruling Mahayuti along with the Shiv Sena and the NCP.

The 30-year-old athlete, who quit wrestling and joined politics ahead of the Haryana assembly polls in October, insisted the scheme was brought in just three months before polls with an eye on the Maharashtra elections.

"When women are crying out that they have been wronged, are they "Ladli" or not? Then their leaders become "laadle" and women become "deshdrohi" (traitors), the Congress leader said.

Asked about the BJP's claim of 'vote jihad' during elections, Phogat, in a scathing comment, asserted if saffron party leaders looked in the mirror, they will know who is doing 'vote jihad'.

'Vote jihad' is a term often used by BJP leaders to claim an organised move to consolidate Muslim votes against party candidates in polls.

The saffron party has always orchestrated Hindu-Muslim conflict, alleged the newly-elected Congress MLA from Julana in Haryana.

Phogat alleged ruling parties would use money liberally in the Maharashtra elections to influence voters and maintained this tactics was deployed against her during the Haryana elections as well, but people made her victorious.

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