In a major boost for the Congress party ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections, Olympic wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia have joined the party. At a press event, both wrestlers spoke out against the BJP, accusing them of not standing with them during their protests against sexual harassment allegations against former WFI chief Brij Bhusan Singh. They also called out the BJP's IT cell for allegedly celebrating Phogat's disqualification at the Paris Olympics, and stressed that the Congress and other parties were the ones who stood with them.
Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia Join Congress Ahead of Haryana Polls
Background:
Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia are two of India's most decorated wrestlers. Phogat, a multiple medalist at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, was unfortunately disqualified from the 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships due to an error in her weight category. Punia, an Olympian and World Championships medalist, has been a vocal critic of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its former chief, Brij Bhusan Singh.
Joining the Congress Party:
In a major boost for the Congress party ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections, Phogat and Punia joined the party on April 19, 2023. At a press conference, they announced their decision and made it clear that they were not satisfied with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's handling of sexual harassment allegations against Singh.
Criticism of BJP:
The wrestlers criticized the BJP for not supporting them during their protests against Singh. They also accused the party's IT cell of celebrating Phogat's disqualification at the Asian Wrestling Championships.
Support from Other Parties:
Phogat and Punia praised the Congress and other opposition parties for standing with them during their protests. They expressed hope that the Congress would address the issues faced by wrestlers and sportspersons in Haryana.
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