Brij Bhushan Digs At Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia Hits Back

Olympic medallist and newly inducted Congress member Bajrang Punia hit back at BJP leader and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh after the latter said wrestler Vinesh Phogat deserved to be disqualified from the Paris Olympics.

In an interview with India Today/Aaj Tak, Punia ripped into Singh over his latest comments. "This exposes Brij Bhushan Singh's mentality towards the country. It was not Vinesh’s medal. It was 140 crore Indians’ medal. And he is gloating at her loss," he said.

Punia charged, "Those who celebrated Vinesh’s disqualification, are they deshbhakts? We are fighting for the country since childhood, and they dare to teach us patriotism. They are molesting girls,"

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexual harassment by several women wrestlers, had claimed that Phogat lost her chance at an Olympic medal because “God had punished her.” In his first reaction after Phogat and Punia joined the Congress, Singh alleged that Phogat “cheated” by unfairly taking another wrestler's spot at the Olympics.

Reacting sharply to Singh’s remarks, Punia said he had committed a crime by naming Phogat in the context of the sexual harassment case, and implying that she should have slapped him if he had molested her. Punia also accused the BJP of shielding Singh and using central agencies to target wrestlers who spoke out against the former WFI chief.

“Brij Bhushan Singh is a history-sheeter, with charges from theft to sedition. The BJP is supporting him. I have no hopes from PM Modi now. Agencies were used against me; I was banned on dope charges. I have no expectations from the WFI President,” he said.

Phogat and Punia had been part of the wrestlers' protests against Singh in 2023, which led to his eventual trial for sexual harassment. Singh has denied the allegations and claimed that he was not present in Delhi on the day of the incident.