BJP Asks Brij Bhushan To Refrain From Comments Against Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia: Report

The BJP has reportedly advised Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to refrain from criticising Olympic wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia as he targetted them over their decision to join the Congress party.

Former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has begun targeting Olympic wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia after they recently joined the Congress party. Now, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has advised Brij Bhushan to refrain from making statements against Vinesh and Bajrang, according to sources cited by India Today on Sunday. This comes as Brij Bhushan has reiterated claims of "Congress conspiracy" behind the sexual harassment allegations against him.

On Saturday, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, accused Phogat and Punia of being used as "pawns" by the Congress in a conspiracy to gain control of the WFI and target the BJP. He specifically blamed former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, stating that the plot against him was motivated by a rivalry dating back to the 2012 WFI elections, where Singh defeated Hooda's son, Deepender Singh Hooda.

"They (Punia and Phogat) were faces... they were mohrey (pawns). They were used like pawns by (former Haryana Chief Minister) Bhupinder Hooda, the Congress, and the Congress family," Singh told PTI. He further added, "This was all conspired to gain a hold on the Wrestling Federation of India and to attack the BJP and its ideology. This team of Rahul, the Congress, keeps doing these things."

Singh first took control of the WFI in 2012 after a bitter conflict with Hooda and maintained a strong hold on the body until allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation of women wrestlers surfaced last year. Phogat, Punia, and fellow Olympic bronze-medallist Sakshi Malik spearheaded the protest against Singh, leading to his eventual resignation as WFI head. He is currently facing criminal charges in court related to these allegations.

Following Singh's departure, his close associate Sanjay Singh was elected as WFI head, but the organisation has yet to receive recognition from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, despite endorsement from the global wrestling body, UWW.

'Won't Back Off': Vinesh Phogat On Case Against Brij Bhushan Singh

On Friday, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia vowed to continue their fight against Brij Bhushan Singh. Vinesh, who has been selected as the Congress candidate for the Julana constituency in the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, asserted, "I want sportspersons to not have to face what we had to go through."

After joining the Congress, Vinesh remarked at a press conference that the BJP supported Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh during the protests, while the Congress stood by the wrestlers. "When we were dragged on the roads, all parties except the BJP stood with us," she said. "I am starting a new innings. We will not be scared and won't back off. Our court case is going on; we will win that also."

Bajrang, meanwhile, has been appointed as the working chairman of the All India Kisan Congress. In contrast, Sakshi Malik has chosen not to enter politics, stating her intention to continue the agitation independently. She offered her best wishes to Phogat and Punia, acknowledging their decision as a personal choice.