'God punished you for...' Brij Bhushan Singh hits out at Vinesh Phogat as she joins Congress

Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has hit out at wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia after they joined the Congress Party. Accusing Phogat, who was disqualified before her final in the recently-concluded Olympics, Singh said God punished her.

CREDIT: BCCL

'Vinesh Phogat cheated'

"I want to ask Vinesh Phogat whether a player can give trials in two weight categories in one day and can these trials be paused for five hours after the weigh-in? You went there by cheating, and you did not win any medal because God punished you for your actions," Singh said.

The former WFI President also accused Bajrang Punia of participating in the Asian Games without completing his required trials.

Will campaign against them in Haryana

Earlier, Singh had said that any BJP candidate can defeat wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia if they contest in the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana. The former BJP MP, who was forced to step away from WFI due to the wrestlers' protest in Delhi last year, also said he was open to campaigning in the state against the duo.

CREDIT: ANI

"If my party directs, I will also go and campaign in the Haryana assembly elections. I claim that I will get maximum support from the people of their community. I am ready to campaign in favour of the BJP candidate in front of them as well," Singh said.

Also read: Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia resign from Indian Railways, set to join Congress

'Congress was behind wrestlers' protest'

The BJP strongman from Uttar Pradesh said that Phogat and Punia joining Congress is proof that the party was behind the wrestlers' protest.

#WATCH | On Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joining Congress, Former WFI president and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh says, "On 18th January 2023 when the protest started at Jantar Mantar, I had said that this is not a movement of sportspersons, Congress is behind it,¡­ pic.twitter.com/XLcwz34R4R

¡ª ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2024

"Back in January, when the protest began, I told the media that this was all a conspiracy against me, and now it is clear. The script was written by Congress, and it has been exposed at their party office," he said.

CREDIT: IANS

Protest against Brij Bhushan

In 2023, Punia, Phogat, and Sakshi Malik had led the protests against Singh, accusing him of sexually abusing women wrestlers.

Following the months-long protest, Singh was forced to step down from WFI, and in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, he was replaced by his son Karan Bhushan Singh as the BJP candidate from Kaiserganj.

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