Chandigarh: Congress leader and Olympian bronze medallist Bajrang Punia hit back at former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Singh for saying that Vinesh Phogat deserved to disqualified from the recently concluded Paris Olympics
Speaking to India Today on Saturday, Punia said that the statement by the former WFI chief showed his mentality towards the country. He added that was not Vinesh’s medal but that of 140 crore Indians and Singh is happy about her loss. He further asked whether those who were happy with Vinesh’s disqualification in the final were the true patriots. Punia further said that while he and other wrestlers have been competing for the country for a long time, they were being taught patriotism.
Singh’s allegations on Bajrang Punia
Earlier on Saturday, speaking to ANI, Singh asked, “Is it not true that Bajrang Punia went to the Asian Games without any trial? I want to ask experts of the wrestling.” Referring to Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification just before 50 kg freestyle wrestling final at Paris Olympics, he also asked whether a player can appear in trials in two weight categories in a single day. The former BJP MP also asked whether trials can be stopped for 5 hours after the weigh-in are done. “You did not win the wrestling, you went there by cheating. God has punished you for the same,” he had said as per the news agency.
A political conspiracy, claims Brij Bhushan Singh
Meanwhile, with Vinesh Phogat joining the Congress on Thursday and subsequently getting a ticket to contest upcoming Assembly elections, Singh claimed that Phogat joining the party showed a larger “political conspiracy” against him, which was the handy work of the Congress, particularly former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda and his son Deepender Hooda.