New Delhi: Former president of the Wrestling Federation of India and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Saturday attacked Congress leaders Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, terming them “khalnayak” or villains. Wrestlers Phogat and Punia joined the Congress on Friday. Within hours of joining, Phogat was declared party candidate from Julana for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
‘Phogat deprived junior wrestlers of opportunities’
Singh accused the wrestlers of undermining the sport in Haryana, saying that Phogat and Punia were villains of Haryana, particularly to athletes. Singh also accused Phogat of breaching regulations by participating in multiple weight categories during trials, which he argued deprived junior wrestlers of opportunities even suggesting that her actions contributed to her own shortcomings at the Paris Olympics.
Singh expressed his belief that if these wrestlers had not protested, India would have secured at least five medals in wrestling at the upcoming Olympics.
Singh accused Phogat and Punia of harming the sport in Haryana, alleging that they were particularly detrimental to athletes. He also charged Phogat with violating regulations by competing in multiple weight categories during trials, which he claimed denied junior wrestlers their opportunities.
‘India would have won five medals in wrestling’
He argued that India would have won at least five medals in wrestling at the next Olympics if the wrestlers had not engaged in protests. He further suggested that the current plight of female athletes is attributable to Punia, Phogat, Bhupender Hooda, and the Congress party, accusing them of diminishing the prominence of female sports in India.
Earlier, Singh had alleged that the protests led by wrestlers like Phogat and Punia, who had called for his arrest, were not a genuine pursuit of justice but rather a politically motivated manoeuvre orchestrated by the Congress. He claimed that the protests were a “script” designed to tarnish his reputation and political career.
Meanwhile, after joining the Congress, Phogat said the fight for women wrestlers would continue. She thanked the Congress party and said only BJP leaders were not with them when they were protesting against Brij Bhushan Singh.
