Haryana polls: BJP warns Brij Bhushan against commenting on Vinesh Phogat

The BJP has warned Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh against commenting on Vinesh Phogat and her Congress candidacy, after Singh made controversial remarks about her and Bajrang Punia

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has warned its controversial leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh against making any comments regarding wrestler Vinesh Phogat and her association with the Congress party, which has fielded her as a candidate in the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections.

According to media reports, Singh's recent remarks about the wrestlers were “not taken well” among certain sections in Haryana. The Hindu reported that BJP president JP Nadda is said to have spoken to Singh about maintaining a “judicious silence” on the issue.

What did Brij Bhushan say about Vinesh Phogat?

After Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Congress party on Friday, Singh made a series of inappropriate remarks, including claiming that Punia's mental condition has deteriorated. He also alleged that the wrestlers were being used by the Congress as "pawns" in a "conspiracy" to take control of the Wrestling Federation of India. Regarding Vinesh, Singh even alleged that she got admitted to the Paris Olympics by “cheating,” which led to her disqualification from the Games as a form of punishment by God.

After both wrestlers were inducted into the Congress, senior Haryana BJP leader Anil Vij remarked that the party has no objection if Phogat wants to become “Congress ki beti” from “desh ki beti.”

Congress bets on Phogat for key Haryana battle

The Congress has named Phogat as a candidate from Julana, while Punia has been appointed as the working chairman of the Congress's farmers' wing. Both of them were embroiled in a significant political controversy last year after they accused Singh, then the head of India’s wrestling body, of sexually exploiting several wrestlers and misusing his power.

As the controversy intensified, the BJP chose not to re-nominate Singh for the Lok Sabha seat from Uttar Pradesh's Kaiserganj, where he had a stronghold. Instead, the party awarded the ticket to his son, Karan Bhushan Singh.

The Congress’s move to induct Phogat and Punia into the party may benefit it in north Haryana, where the farmers’ movement against the BJP has been active. Farmers had supported the wrestlers during their protests against Singh, and the wrestlers have frequently backed the farmers’ demands.