 "Haryana Assembly polls: Are wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia joining Congress?")
Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia’s meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has added fuel to the speculations of the two joining the Grand Old Party ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections. The duo also met Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Wednesday (September 4). There is a growing buzz that the star grapplers could contest the upcoming polls in the Hindi heartland state on October 5.
The Congress’ X handle shared the picture of Phogat and Punia with Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The party as well as the duo have remained tight-lipped about the speculations. However, a clearer picture could emerge in a day or two.
Amid the rising conjecture, let’s take a look at the two wrestlers’ brush with politics.
Farmers’ protest
Both Phogat and Punia have backed the farmers’ protest. When farmers launched an agitation against the Central government’s three farm laws in 2020, Phogat showed solidarity with the protesters.
In one of her tweets at the time, she said that farmers just want respect for their hard work. The Olympian wrestler had also participated in the protests.
In February, farmer unions, led by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), kicked off another protest over several demands, including a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. On August 31, Phogat attended the ongoing farmers’ protest in Punjab’s Shambhu village.
She said the farmers’ demands were legitimate and the Centre should “show a big heart” and address their issues. Addressing the farmers, the wrestler said she is a farmer’s daughter and her family knows the struggles faced by farmers.
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More Shorts“Faslon aur naslon ko bachane ke liye hum kisan aur mazdoor parivar ke saath khade hain (To save crops and future generations, I am standing with farmers and labourers). Your daughter stands with you,” she was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
Phogat said 200 days have passed since their ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest but farmers continue to sit on the roads. “We are citizens of this country and if anyone raises an issue, it should be heard. Everything should not be linked to caste or religion,” she added.
After her heartbreaking exit from the Paris Olympics ahead of her 50-kg final match and her subsequent announcement of retirement, Phogat received a huge welcome in India. Khap panchayats in several districts of Haryana also honoured her.
Punia, too, has participated in farmers’ protests. The Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist marked his presence at the “kisan mahapanchayat” in Kurukshetra last June to show solidarity with farmers protesting in Haryana over minimum support price (MSP) for sunflower crops. This came after farmers extended their support to wrestlers’ protest against the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Wrestlers’ protest
Last year, Phogat and Punia, along with fellow grappler Sakshi Malik, were at the forefront of the agitation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against then BJP MP and WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh after multiple women wrestlers accused him of sexual harassment.
The wrestlers’ protest first began in January 2023 but was called off after the sports ministry assured them of action and asked Singh to step aside for a few weeks. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) also formed a committee to probe the allegations against the then-BJP MP.
Wrestlers resumed their protests in April of that year demanding Singh’s arrest. The former WFI chief denies all allegations. Farmers also marched to the national capital to show support for the wrestlers.
“We will protest as long as we don’t get justice. This is the fight for the respect and dignity of our country’s daughters and mothers and also for the dignity of the country,” Punia had said at the time.
In May, the Delhi Police detained the protesting grapplers, including Punia, Phogat and Malik, when they tried to march to the new Parliament on the day of its inauguration. The top wrestlers were seen being pushed and shoved into buses, causing widespread outrage.
Following this, Phogat and Olympic medallists Punia and Malik travelled to Haridwar to immerse their medals in Ganga. However, farmer leader Naresh Tikait had convinced them not to go ahead with their plan.
Phogat also wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying she would return her Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards. Malik eventually announced her retirement from wrestling, while Punia dumped his Padma Shri award on a footpath outside the PM’s residence.
In March, the three protesting wrestlers filed an urgent petition in the Delhi High Court seeking the cancellation of WFI election results and de-recognising the federation alleging the polls violated the sports code. This came after Sanjay Singh, a close aide of Brij Bhushan, was elected the WFI president and the body announced national trials for Olympic qualifiers.
Next stop: Congress?
The rumoured political foray of Phogat and Punia is being keenly watched. However, both wrestlers have kept their cards close to their chests.
When Phogat was asked about contesting the upcoming Haryana polls, she stayed discreet. The Olympic player has family members in politics. Her uncle Mahavir Singh Phogat and cousin Babita Phogat had joined the BJP in August 2019.
नेता विपक्ष श्री @RahulGandhi से विनेश फोगाट जी और बजरंग पुनिया जी ने मुलाकात की। pic.twitter.com/UK7HW6kLEL
— Congress (@INCIndia) September 4, 2024
Since Phogat’s return from the Paris Olympics, she has been seen with Congress leaders. Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda had reached the Delhi airport to welcome her. She had also met former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Speaking to ThePrint, the senior Hooda neither confirmed nor denied Phogat and Punia’s entry into politics. “What can I say at this stage?” he said. The ex-CM previously said Phogat is welcome to join the party.
After the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting on Monday in Delhi, AICC in-charge for Haryana Deepak Babaria said the wrestlers’ potential candidature would soon become clear.
As per ThePrint report, the ball is now in the court of the duo. The Congress has already offered tickets to Phogat and Punia and it is up to them if they accept.
With inputs from agencies
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