- Singh, ex-BJP lawmaker, charged with harassment.
- Six female wrestlers filed the case.
- Singh denies wrongdoing.
Indian Olympic wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the opposition Congress party on Friday, marking their entry into politics. This move follows their involvement in protests last year against the chief of India’s wrestling federation over allegations of sexual harassment.
The announcement comes just weeks after Phogat’s emotional return from the Paris Olympics, where she narrowly missed qualifying for the women’s 50kg freestyle final by 100 grams, despite extreme weight-cutting efforts.
The disappointment at the Paris Olympics prompted the 30-year-old Asian Games gold medallist to retire from wrestling, leading to widespread support. Hundreds of emotional fans and fellow wrestlers organized a road-show to her village in northern India upon her arrival in Delhi.
Their move into politics comes just weeks before the provincial elections in Haryana, their home state, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aims for a third consecutive term.
Congress General Secretary K. C. Venugopal praised the wrestlers, saying, “They have not only brought glory to our nation in sports but have also bravely fought against injustice on the streets,” after their induction into the party in New Delhi.
Phogat expressed her determination, stating, “Our fight will continue, both in court and in life. I am proud to join a party that supports women and stands against injustice.”
Punia, 30, who earned a bronze medal in men’s 65-kg wrestling at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, stated, “We will carry forward the dedication we showed during the protests and in supporting farmers, soldiers, and youth for our country.”
Phogat, Punia, and fellow Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik were prominent figures in the extensive protest last year, which called for criminal action against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the then chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
Singh, a former federal lawmaker from the BJP, faced charges of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation following a case filed by six female wrestlers in June of last year. He has denied all allegations.
