CHANDIGARH: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday morning visited an “akhara” in Haryana’s Jhajjar district and met a group of wrestlers including Bajrang Punia.
According to a senior Haryana Congress leader from the district, Gandhi reached the “Virender Akhara” in the Chhara village early morning. He later interacted with the wrestlers including Punia.
#WATCH | Haryana: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reaches Virender Arya Akhara in Chhara village of Jhajjar district and interacts with wrestlers including Bajrang Poonia. pic.twitter.com/j9ItihwVvP
— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2023
Gandhi’s meeting with the wrestlers comes against the backdrop of a controversy surrounding the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
“He (Rahul Gandhi) came to see our routine (training). He did wrestling and exercise with me. He came to see what is the day-to-day life of a wrestler,” Bajrang told reporters.
READ MORE | Wrestling takes a bigger hit as federation mess continues
Vinesh Phogat, a two-time World Championship medal winner, on Tuesday decided to return her Khel Ratna and Arjuna award to the Prime Minister, saying such honours have become meaningless when wrestlers are struggling badly for justice.
Phogat’s decision comes days after Olympic medallist Punia and Deafylmpics champion Virender Singh Yadav returned their Padma Shri awards and Rio Games bronze medallist Sakshi Malik quit the sport after Sanjay Singh’s election as WFI president on December 21.
Sanjay Singh is an associate of Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan and the wrestlers did not want anyone close to the BJP MP entering the WFI.
Brij Bhushan was accused of sexual harassment by Phogat, Punia and Malik. They had held a long-drawn protest at Jantar Mantar early this year.
READ MORE | Collective failure to read wrestlers’ sentiments
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