If Vinesh wants to be 'Cong ki beti', what objection can we have: Anil Vij

Senior Haryana BJP leader Anil Vij on Friday took a dig at wrestler Vinesh Phogat over joining the Congress, saying what objection could they have if she wanted to become "Congress ki beti" from "desh ki beti".

The former minister was asked about Phogat and another wrestler Bajrang Punia, both from Haryana, hours before the two joined the Congress on Friday ahead of the Assembly polls in the state.

"... Agar woh desh ki beti sey Congress ki beti banna chaahti hai, to hamein kya etraaz hai (if Vinesh wants to become Congress' daughter from being the country's daughter, what objection can we have)," the former Haryana home minister said.

Vij said the Congress was trying to bring these players with them from the very first day and it was due to their instigation that the wrestlers started the movement in Delhi.

It was because of their (Congress') instigation that the (Delhi) protest was going on, otherwise the matter would have settled long before, he said.

The BJP sought to underplay Phogat and Punia joining the Congress.

BJP MP and national spokesperson Sambit Patra refused to make any direct comment on the two wrestlers joining the Congress. Anybody can join any political party in a democratic country, he told a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Delhi when asked for his comment.

"So far as the two sportspersons joining the Congress is concerned, it is a democratic country and any can join any political party," he said.

"Your question that somewhere or the other they indulged in politics, I would not like to answer. I said it is a democratic country. But, yes people, media and intellectuals will ask this question," he added.

Phogat and Punia, both 30 years of age, met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in the national capital and other senior leaders at his 10, Rajaji Marg and officially joined the party at a press conference at the AICC headquarters.

Also, Phogat on Friday resigned from the Indian Railways citing personal reasons.

Punia is a Tokyo Games bronze medallist, while Phogat became the first woman wrestler to reach the Olympics final, the stage where she was disqualified after being found over weight by about 100 gm in her 50-kg category weigh-in. She subsequently announced her retirement from the sport.

Punia and Phogat were part of the protest over sexual harassment allegations against former BJP MP and then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in 2023.

Congress MP Deepender Hooda had led a rousing welcome for Phogat at the Delhi airport on her arrival from the Paris Olympics last month.

Hooda had vociferously supported the agitation by Phogat and other wrestlers, mostly from Haryana, against Singh over allegations of sexual harassment.

Phogat faced a heartbreaking exit at the Paris Olympics where she was disqualified for being overweight on the day of her 50kg final match.