Congress behind the wrestlers protest, says WFI chief day after Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia join party

AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal (C) with wrestlers Vinesh Phogat (R) and Bajrang Punia (L) as they joined the Congress party. PTI

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh worldwide again claimed the protest against former chief and ex-BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the organisation become ‘politically motivated’. The claim came a day after Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, two wrestlers who were at the forefront of the protest, joined the Congress and may contest the Haryana assembly elections.

“…They joined Congress, so this proves that they were at the back of that protest. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh become associated with BJP, I am now now not associated with any party or person but they opposed me too. So this entire protest become politically motivated,” said Sanjay Singh.

“They started the protest and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh distanced himself from wrestling, so the issue have ended there, however it become politically motivated and Congress become at the back of it.

“Sakshi Malik seriously seriously is never any different, she is additionally with them. ninety 9% of the players of Haryana are with us,” he claimed.

Sakshi, a Rio Olympics medallist, had retired contained within the aftermath of WFI elections where Sanjay, regarded as to be as regards to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, become appointed because the president.

The duo of Vinesh and Punia joined the Congress on Friday with a vow of “now now not being scared or backing off”.

While there become no clarity yet on whether Punia would contest the polls, the party leaders confirmed that Phogat would contest from the Julana assembly segment.

Hours after joining the Congress, Punia become appointed the working chairman of All India Kisan Congress by the party.

Phogat and Punia met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence and later joined the party at the AICC headquarters contained within the presence of Congress general secretary in-charge organisation KC Venugopal, AICC general secretary in-charge Haryana Deepak Babaria, Haryana Congress chief Uday Bhan and the party’s media and publicity department head Pawan Khera.

At the clicking conference at some point of which they joined the party, Venugopal claimed that Phogat received a show cause notice from the Railways after she met Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday. Party sources said the notice talked about violating service rules by meeting the political leaders.

Venugopal asked if it become against the law to fulfill the leader of the opposition and urged the Railway authorities to alleviate Phogat and now now not “play politics”.

Without elaborating, Venugopal claimed that Punia had also got a notice.

Phogat on Friday resigned from the Indian Railways, citing personal reasons.

After joining the party, Phogat said the BJP become supporting Singh while the Congress supported the protesting wrestlers when they “were being dragged on the roads” in Delhi.

Punia and Phogat were section of the protest over sexual harassment allegations against former BJP MP and then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Singh in 2023.

मैं कांग्रेस का बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद करती हूं, क्योंकि बुरे समय में ही पता चलता है- अपना कौन है।

जब हमें सड़क पर घसीटा जा रहा था, तो BJP को छोड़कर आप सभी हमारे साथ थे। आप हमारे दर्द और आंसुओं को समझ पा रहे थे।

मुझे गर्व है कि मैं एक ऐसी विचारधारा से जुड़ी हूं, जो महिलाओं पर हो… percenttwitter.com/MWo8N0EpaV

— Congress (@INCIndia) September 6, 2024

“I thank the people of the usa and the media, you supported me throughout my wrestling journey. I thank the Congress party, it's alleged demanding times tell you about who's with you. When we were dragged on the roads, all parties except for the BJP stood with us and understood our pain and tears,” the 30-year-old said at the clicking conference.

She said she felt proud that she become with a party and an ideology that stood against injustice on women folk and become ready to fight the battle from the streets to Parliament.

“I will perhaps have quit wrestling at Jantar Mantar and folks also thought so (that I might accomplish that). The BJP IT Cell propagated that we were a spent force and indulging in politics. They said I didn’t play contained within the nationals, I played the nationals. They said she did now now not present trials, I gave trials. They said she does now now not fight at the Olympic level, I did that and reached the finals. Unfortunately, God had other plans,” she said.

“I am starting a fresh innings. I need sportspersons don’t should face what we may have liked to wade through,” Phogat said, adding that her move would perhaps inspire them.

“Sportspersons are wronged over and over but are unable to speak out. Study us, they got Bajrang banned for four years on doping charges because he stood with us So we are paying a value, we are ready to now now not be scared and won’t back off. The fight will continue. Our court case is going on, we are ready to win that also, we are ready to win in life,” she said.

Phogat said they may well be one of many people and ensure their welfare.

She said she would favor to tell the women folk that she become standing with them and that the Congress become standing with them whenever they faced any problem.

मैं सभी का धन्यवाद देता हूं।

हम अन्याय के खिलाफ साथ मिलकर लड़ेंगे और हर संघर्ष में कांग्रेस के साथ खड़े रहेंगे।

हमने महिला पहलवानों पर हो रहे अन्याय के खिलाफ BJP की महिला सांसदों को पत्र लिखा था, लेकिन कोई हमारे साथ खड़ा नहीं हुआ।

लेकिन कांग्रेस हर मोड़ पर हमारे साथ खड़ी रही।… percenttwitter.com/VSMowHH8LV

— Congress (@INCIndia) September 6, 2024

Punia said the Congress stood with them at some point of their demanding times.

“What the BJP IT Cell is saying at this time time that we just desired to do politics We had written to all women folk BJP MPs to face with us but they didn’t come. We are paying the cost for raising our voices for women but now we know that the BJP stands with atrocities against women folk at Jantar Mantar and all other parties stand with us,” he said.

“We can work demanding to toughen the Congress and the nation The day Vinesh qualified for the finals, the usa become happy nevertheless tomorrow every person become sad. In the intervening time, one IT cell become celebrating,” he said in a swipe at the BJP.

Venugopal said that it become a “big day” for the Congress and a proud moment “for all of us” to welcome Phogat and Punia into the party fold.

Polling for ninety seats in Haryana should be held on October 5 and the votes should be counted on October eight.

Brij Bhushan downplays Phogat, Punia’s impact

Downplaying Phogat and Punia’s foray into politics, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said any BJP candidate will defeat them.

The former BJP MP from Kaiserganj constituency also offered to campaign contained within the upcoming elections if the party approved.

“These wrestlers made a name contained within the sport and become famous on the strength of wrestling. Now after joining Congress, their name should be erased,” Singh, who had been removed as Indian wrestling chief after being accused of sexually harassing severa female wrestlers, told journalists at his residence in Vishnoharpur near Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.

Reacting to this development, Singh said, “These people accept as true with politics to be a wind. They are thinking that they will win the assembly elections from Haryana. They are ready to contest from any assembly seat in Haryana, a small BJP candidate will defeat them.”

He went on to add: “If my party directs, I can even go and campaign contained within the Haryana assembly elections. I claim that I will get maximum toughen from the people of their community. I am ready to campaign in favour of the BJP candidate in front of them as well.”

(with inputs from PTI)