AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal with wrestlers Vinesh Phogat (left) and Bajrang Punia as they joined Congress at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Friday.
New Delhi: From wrestling mats, Olympian grapplers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia on Friday entered a new territory -- politics -- by joining Congress as they ended speculation about their future course of action even as the party described them as leaders who evolved through protest movements.
Both Phogat and Punia met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence before officially joining the party at an event at headquarters in the presence of General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal.
The wrestlers resigned from Indian Railways before their official entry into Congress even as Venugopal claimed that they were issued show-cause notice after they met Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday. He asked whether it was a crime to meet the Leader of the Opposition and urged the Railway authorities to relieve Phogat and not "play politics".
There has been speculation about both the grapplers fighting the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections but Venugopal said such a decision would be taken at the Congress Central Election Committee. Indicating that Punia is headed for an organisational role, Venugopal said the party was happy to hear his request to provide for a platform in the party to fight for the rights of farmers.
Inducting both into the party, Venugopal said it was a "big day" for the Congress and a proud moment to welcome Phogat and Punia into the party fold.
He said leaders would come through movements and the duo had come through the "biggest movement" of the times, referring to the protest led by them along with others against alleged sexual harassment by former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
He also debunked allegations of "conspiracy" about wrestlers' protest and induction of wrestlers into Congress. "Some people are criticising their joining the Congress. So many athletes and Olympians are in different parties, is that also a conspiracy?" he asked.
After joining the party, Phogat thanked the Congress for its support when the wrestlers hit the streets when the BJP was supporting Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh when they "were being dragged on the roads" in Delhi.
"Tough times tell you about who is with you. When we were dragged on the roads, all parties except the BJP stood with us. I am starting a new innings. I want sportspersons don't have to face what we had to go through. We will not be scared and won't back off. Our court case is going on, we will win that also," she told reporters.
Punia said the BJP IT Cell is accusing them of playing politics but they should remember that the protesters had invited BJP women MPs to join their protest but they ignored. "Congress stood with us," he said.