Madhya Pradesh: Viral video of men vs women kabaddi match sparks political row

Guwahati: A kabaddi match between male and female players in Madhya Pradesh’s Niwari district, held to mark National Sports Day on August 29, has sparked political controversy after a video of the event went viral on social media.

The Congress party criticised the event, labelling it “indiscipline” and questioning the intent of the organisers.

However, the controversy took a sharp turn when female participants defended the match, asserting that they played the game willingly and found nothing objectionable about it.

“We train with men even at district and state levels. Calling this indiscipline doesn’t make sense,” said one of the players.

Another added, “The claims are baseless. We chose to play. Dragging sports into politics only damages athletes' morale.”

As the video circulated widely, BJP leaders hit back at the Congress, accusing the opposition of unnecessarily politicising sports. BJP’s Anil Pandey said the Congress should address its own leaders’ controversial remarks before targeting young athletes.

Referring to past comments made by former PCC chief Jitu Patwari, who allegedly linked women with liquor, Pandey criticised Congress’s silence on the matter while claiming the party was now manufacturing outrage over a harmless sporting event.

“Opposition parties are politicising sports without cause. Games promote discipline and teamwork—not controversy,” Pandey stated.