Responding to remarks by former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, wrestler Vinesh Phogat said that those who were happy about the fact that she couldn't win at the Paris Olympics should be booked under sedition for disrespecting the nation.
Phogat, who joined the Congress recently and was named as Julana constituency's candidate ahead of the Haryana assembly polls, in an interview to India Today said, "We have been hearing such statements (by BJP leaders) for the last 1.5 years. This shows their mentality. If they are saying that they are happy that I didn't win at Paris Olympics, they should be tried for sedition. That medal didn't belong to me but to the whole nation. They have disrespected the nation."
Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Bhushan had taken a jibe at Phogat and fellow grappler Bajrang Punia and said, "God has punished them for cheating."
He said, "I want to ask Vinesh Phogat whether a player can give trials in 2 weight categories in a day? Can the trials be stopped for 5 hours after the weigh-in?... You did not win the wrestling; you went there by cheating. God has punished you for the same."
Wrestler Bajrang Punia has also joined the Congress along with Phogat.
Both Phogat and Punia met LS LoP Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence before officially joining the party at an event at headquarters in the presence of General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal.
Hours after joining the political party, Punia was appointed as the working chairman of the All India Kisan Congress.
Phogat, who defied several odds to make the final of the women’s freestyle 50 kg event of the Paris Olympics, was disqualified after being overweight by a few grams.
(With PTI inputs)
Published 09 September 2024, 10:42 IST