Vinesh Phogat on Friday joined the Congress party ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections, scheduled to take place next month
“It was only the Congress party who understood our tears,” said Vinesh Phogat minutes after she joined the Congress party on Friday. Terming it a new chapter in her life, the wrestler-turned-politician stated that she will continue to work for the rights of other athletes.
Referring to the ongoing sexual harassment case against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Singh, Phoghat said, “This is a new chapter in my life. I will work for other athletes so that they don’t have to go through what we went through.”
Read More: Vinesh Phogat To Fight Haryana Polls From Julana On Congress Ticket
#WATCH | Delhi | On joining Congress, Vinesh Phogat says, “I thank Congress party…Kehte hain na ki bure time mein pata lagta hai ki apna kaun hai…When we were being dragged on the road, all parties except BJP were with us. I feel proud that I have joined a party which stands… pic.twitter.com/FIV1FLQeXa— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024
Phogat said that when the wrestlers were protesting on the roads, all the political parties except the BJP stood with them.
“I could have quit wrestling at Jantar Mantar because the BJP’s IT cell was publicising that we were spent forces. They said I did not want to play in the nationals but I did; they said I did not want to do trials, I did that… They said I could not go to the Olympics but I did… Unfortunately, it was not god’s will,” she said.
“The fight is continuing, it hasn’t ended yet. It’s in Court. We will win that fight as well… With the new platform that we are getting today, we will work for the service of the nation. The way we played our game with heart, we will give our best to work for our people. I want to tell my sisters, that I am with them. If there will be no one for you, I will be there, Congress party will be there. I have felt this, and I can assure you that we will be there for sure,” she added.
‘Will speak one day’…: Phogat on Paris Olympics medal row
The wrestler while speaking on her disqualification ahead of final match in Paris Olympics said that one day she would reveal the details about the whole controversy. While responding to a question that there might be a political conspiracy behind her disqualification, she said, “It is very emotional thing for me I will talk in details about it. Be patient I will speak on it one day,” she said.
Vinesh, who stormed into the final of the women’s 50kg freestyle event with three convincing wins, including against wrestling royalty Yui Susaki of Japan in Paris Olympics, was debarred from the gold medal bout against eventual winner Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States as she was found 100gm above the prescribed limit in the customary morning weigh-in.
At the press conference during which they joined the party, Venugopal claimed that Phogat had been issued a showcase notice by the Railways after she met Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday. Party sources said the notice talked about violating service rules by meeting political leaders.
Venugopal asked if it was a crime to meet the leader of the opposition and urged the Railway authorities to relieve Phogat and not “play politics”.
Phogat to Contest Haryana polls from Julana
Phogat is set to contest Haryana Assembly election from Julana seat. Her name has been finalised in the Congress’ Central Election Committee meeting which took place on Friday. However, wrestler Bajrang Punia, who joined the grand old party along with Phogat, has not been given a ticket to contest the assembly election.
Bajrang Punia joins Congress
Meanwhile, wrestler Bajrang Punia, who also joined the grand old party along with Phogat, said that he would work hard to strengthen the Congress party and the nation.
“…What BJP IT Cell is saying today that we just wanted to do politics…We had written to all women BJP MPs to stand with us but they still didn’t come. We are paying to raise the voices of women but now we know that BJP stands with atrocities against women, and all other parties stand with us. We will work hard to strengthen the Congress party and the nation…The day Vinesh qualified for finals the country was happy but the next day everyone was sad. At that time, one IT Cell was celebrating…” Punia said.
#WATCH | Delhi | On joining Congress, Bajrang Punia says, “…What BJP IT Cell is saying today that we just wanted to do politics…We had written to all women BJP MPs to stand with us but they still didn’t come. We are paying to raise the voices of women but now we know that BJP… pic.twitter.com/FGViVeGJLY— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024
Phogat and Punia joined the party in the presence of Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, spokesperson Pawan Khera and Haryana Congress chief Uday Bhan. The two had earlier met Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
Punia and Phogat were part of the months-long protest over sexual harassment allegations against former BJP MP and then WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh in 2023.
Railway on serving Phogat a ‘show-cause notice’
Northern Railway officials have confirmed that the wrestler was served a show cause notice on September 4 in which she was asked to clarify her position regarding joining a political party.
“When media reports came saying that Phogat would join the Congress party as she met Rahul Gandhi, a notice was issued to her on September 4,” an official said to PTI.
“She was asked to clarify her stand because being a government employee, joining a political party amounts to the violation of service rule,” he added.
Congress leader KC Venugopal on Friday alleged that Phogat was served a show cause notice after she resigned from the Railways, to which Himanshu Upadhyay, CPRO, Northern Railways, denied.
Any BJP Candidate Will Defeat Them, says Brij Bhushan
Brij Bhushan Singh sought to downplay wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia’s foray into politics, saying any BJP candidate will defeat them if they contest in Haryana and also offered to campaign in the upcoming assembly elections should his party allow.
He said, “These wrestlers made a name in the sport and became famous on the strength of wrestling. Now after joining Congress, their name will be erased.” Earlier, Phogat and Punia, who were at the forefront of the wrestlers’ protest against the then WFI chief Singh, joined the Congress with a vow of “not being scared or backing off”.
BJP reacts
The BJP leaders reacted to the development with Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini saying that the grand old party is only doing politics in the name of wrestlers’ protest.
He said that if they wanted to give these wrestlers a party ticket, they could have given them a Rajya Sabha ticket, but they are only doing politics.
Party spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra said, “Anyone can join any party , but people and intellectuals will ask questions , I will not answer this question but yes people will ask questions.”
Senior BJP leader Anil Vij also took a dig at the wrestler saying what objection could they have if she wanted to become “Congress ki beti” from “desh ki beti”.
“… Agar woh desh ki beti sey Congress ki beti banna chaahti hai, to hamein kya etraaz hai (if Vinesh wants to become Congress’ daughter from being the country’s daughter, what objection can we have),” the former Haryana home minister said.
Vij said the Congress was trying to bring these players with them from the very first day and it was due to their instigation that the wrestlers started the movement in Delhi.
It was because of their (Congress’) instigation that the (Delhi) protest was going on, otherwise the matter would have settled long before, he said.
