On Friday, Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia and wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who led protests against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh last year, officially joined the Congress party. Their move comes just a day after Singh criticized Phogat, saying she “deserved to be disqualified” from the Paris Olympics.
Singh, a former BJP MP, questioned the legitimacy of Punia’s and Phogat’s performances, claiming that Phogat’s success at the Olympics involved unfair practices. Singh suggested that trials were manipulated, implying that Phogat had not won fairly.
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In response, Punia, now a Congress leader, defended Phogat and attacked Singh’s comments, calling them revealing of Singh’s attitude. He emphasized that Phogat’s achievements represented the pride of 140 crore Indians, not just her personal success. “Those celebrating her disqualification are not true patriots,” Punia told India Today. He criticized Singh and others for their negative reactions and claimed that they were undermining the integrity of Indian wrestlers.
The Congress party welcomed both Punia and Phogat, with Phogat set to run for a seat in the Haryana assembly elections from the Julana constituency. Punia, who joined Congress alongside Phogat, spoke at a press conference, expressing his commitment to strengthening both the party and the nation. He reflected on the sadness that followed Phogat’s disqualification despite the nation’s earlier excitement over her reaching the finals.
The Haryana assembly elections are scheduled for October 5, with results to be announced on October 8.
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