Olympic wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Puia joined the Congress on Friday ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections slated to be held next month. Soon after joing the party, both the wrestlers trained their guns at the Bharatiya Janata Party, slamming them for denying sexual harassment allegations against BJP leader and ex-WFI chief Brij Bhusan Singh and not standing up with them during their protests. Speaking at the press event, Punia also claimed that a particular IT cell was celebrating when Vinesh Phogat was disqualified in Paris Olympics.
Punia stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party stands with atrocities against women and emphasised that it was the Congress and other parties that stood with the wrestlers during protests.
"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," he said.
He further spoke about Phogat's disqualification from the Paris Olympics that left the entire country in shock, and in an apparent reference to the BJP alleged that a party's IT cell was celebrating the major setback.
"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 across the nation. People should think about whom they are supporting. People are supporting those who are doing wrong against women, farmers, army personnel, and even sportspersons," he said.
Vinesh Phogat had also voiced similar sentiments as she underscored how the grand old party stood with the wrestlers and how the BJP allegedly spread lies about her career coming to an end. Responding to a query about the sexual harrasment case against Brij Bhusan Singh, she said that the battle against him would continue in court.
"I stand with every woman who finds herself helpless. Had I wanted, I could have left wrestling in Jantar Mantar. BJP IT Cell peddled lies that our career is over and that we don’t want to play in nationals. I played in nationals and in the Olympics. But then, God had different plans for me," she said.
Thanking the Congress for supporting the women wrestlers and expressing pride in joing the party, Phogat said: "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 with women and is ready to fight from 'sadak to sansad'..."
BJP leader Brij Bhushan Singh has been accused of sexual harassment by six women wrestlers. These incidents, according to the wrestlers, occurred between 2016 and 2019 at the Wrestling Federation of India office, abroad, and also at his residence. However, Singh has time and again stressed that he was being falsely accused as part of a consipracy hatched by Congress leader Bhupinder Hooda and his son Deepender Hooda. He has also alleged Bajrang Punia to be a part of this conspiracy against him.