The BJP has advised its former MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to refrain from making further remarks about wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, following backlash from various quarters in Haryana. The state is set to hold Assembly elections next month.
According to sources within the BJP, Singh’s recent comments about the wrestlers have not been well-received, and the party views it as an “unnecessary distraction” from its electoral campaign. BJP president J. P. Nadda is reported to have instructed Singh to maintain a “judicious silence” regarding the wrestlers, who had previously accused him of harassment during his tenure as president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
Singh had alleged that Phogat and Punia’s protests against him, which began in January 2023, were orchestrated by Congress leaders, including Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Deepender Hooda, and Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi. Singh had claimed that the movement against him was part of a Congress-led conspiracy.
In response, Phogat, after joining the Congress, accused the BJP of backing Singh while Congress supported the wrestlers during their protests in Delhi. Punia also supported Phogat’s stance, highlighting Congress’s support during their struggles.
Phogat’s near miss of an Olympic medal at the recent Paris Games, due to being slightly over her weight category, has garnered significant public sympathy. BJP sources have indicated that Singh’s comments are counterproductive in Haryana, where the BJP is striving for a third term amid rising Congress support.
A senior BJP official remarked, “Vinesh Phogat has captured public attention with her performances in Paris, and Brij Bhushan’s comments are seen as ill-advised given the current political climate.”
Phogat has already launched her Assembly campaign with a roadshow in her constituency of Julana on September 8, 2024.
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