Rahul Gandhi Meets Bajrang Punia In Haryana Amid Wrestlers' Award Wapsi Row
Rahul Gandhi has met wrestler Bajrang Punia amid the ongoing award return spree by the grapplers over the WFI polls.
As the wrestlers continue their relentless protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) polls with several grapplers returning their awards, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached the Virender Arya Akhara in the Chhara village of Haryana's Jhajjar district and interacted with wrestlers including Bajrang Punia who led the protest against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan.
Bajrang Poonia said, "He came to see our wrestling routine...He did wrestling...He came to see the day-to-day activities of a wrestler."
On the visit of the Congress leader, Wrestling Coach Virendra Arya said, "Nobody told us that he's coming. We were practicing here and he came all of a sudden...He reached here around 6:15 am...He did exercise with us and then he told us about his exercise and sport. He has a lot of knowledge about sports...Nationals will take place but what would be done with this issue at hand?... What could he (Rahul Gandhi) do, only the government can do something."
On Tuesday, two-time world champion Vinesh Phogat 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 after Olympic medallist Punia and Deafylmpics champion Virender Singh Yadav returned their Padma Shri awards and Rio Games bronze medallist Sakshi Malik said she would quit the sport after Brij Bhushan Singh's aide Sanjay Singh was elected as WFI president on December 21.
Sanjay Singh's election was met with fierce protests by the wrestlers as they said they did not want an associate of Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan to enter the wrestling body.
Brij Bhushan was accused of sexual harassment by the grapplers and was in the eye of the storm during the long-drawn protest demanding his resignation by wrestlers at Delhi's Jantar Mantar early this year.
However, recently Bhushan said he was not connected to wrestling anymore as the protests continued.
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