Ex-WFI chief Brij Bhushan claims Congress planned wrestlers' protest as Phogat, Punia join party
WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh
Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh slammed Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and other senior Congress leaders on Saturday (September 07). He accused Congress of orchestrating the wrestlers' protest against him, which began two years ago, and centred around allegations of sexual harassment.
His comments followed the political entry of wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who joined the Congress on Friday after leading last year’s protest against him. Singh, a former BJP MP, also accused Vinesh Phogat of cheating in her attempt to qualify for the Olympics. He said that her failure to win a medal was a form of divine retribution.
“I want to ask Vinesh Phogat whether a player can give trials in two weight categories in one day? Can the trials be paused for five hours after the weigh-in?... You did not win the wrestling; you went there by cheating. God has punished you for it," the former WFI president said.
Brij Bhushan went on to claim that Vinesh Phogat had unfairly taken another wrestler's place at the Olympics. “She went to the Olympics by taking the spot of the girl who had defeated her in the trials, and by creating a commotion. Therefore, whatever happened to her was justified, and she deserved it,” he added.
He also alleged that Bajrang Punia participated in the Asian Games without undergoing the proper trials.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New OTT Releases this week (June 15-21, 2026): Drishyam 3 to Husbands In Action-7 latest movies and TV shows coming on Netflix, Prime Video and more
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How US fighter jet pilots can change a missile's target after launch
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Which radar system does the US Air Force's B-52 bomber use?
)
Bangladesh PM’s adviser returns to Dhaka after being stopped at IGI airport. This is what we know
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Raakh: The most disturbing scenes that make Ali Fazal's crime thriller hard to forget
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Watched Maternal Instinct? Stream these 5 similar crime investigation documentaries on Netflix
)
Jimmy Kimmel trolls Donald Trump’s 80th birthday with parody of alleged Jeffrey Epstein card
)
Turkish aviation company says it lost Rs 4,700 crore in a day following Operation Sindoor
)
Woman launched from 40-metre bridge without safety rope in Brazil, falls to death
)
Raakh ending explained: The final episode is far more devastating than it appears
)
US claims Strait of Hormuz will be toll-free. Iran says ships will pay maritime service fees. What's really in the peace deal?
)
From Devyani Khobragade to Gulf of Oman: Has India's response to Washington changed?
)
South Korean drama Teach You a Lesson to return with season 2? Director reveals
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Top 7 tax-free income sources every Indian taxpayer should know
)
Marco Rubio's response to deaths of Indian sailors sparks backlash, opposition targets Modi's silence
)
IND vs AFG, 2nd ODI: When and where to watch live streaming in India?
)
Telegram banned in India? NTA clarifies restrictions on messenger app ahead of NEET 2026 re-exam
)
Thirty-four human foetuses found in garden of Polish female doctor's, probe underway
)
India's $2 billion drone push: Why batteries could be biggest winner in defence-tech boom
)
Dramatic footage captures moment Russian Tu-22M3 bomber crashes in Siberia | WATCH
)
Shocking new details emerge in Brazil bungee-jumping accident: 21-year-old may have been alive after fatal 130-foot fall
)
Iran was preparing to attack Israel, suspended US deal after Beirut strike, says report
)
US-Iran war ends - But did Trump achieve his ‘objectives’? WION Decodes
)
Antarctica feels the heat in June as temperature soars 20 degrees Celsius above normal
)
G7's new reality: India, Brazil and other middle powers are becoming impossible to ignore
)
Erika Kirk to remove ‘kirk’ from her last name? This is the truth of viral claim
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
B-52 vs Tupolev Tu-95 "Bear-G": Comparing technical profile of US and Russia strategic bombers
)
Modi at G7: Global South has a seat at the table, but is anyone listening?
)
DRDO successfully tests indigenous Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile
)
Israeli radars to be made in Tamil Nadu from 2027
)
Ram Charan and Upasana Konidela share first glimpse of newborn twins on 14th anniversary: 'Heart Is full'
)
Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale's final social media post goes viral after tragic death
)
‘No food in the fridge’: Why Elon Musk, world’s first trillionaire, lives in 400 sq ft home?
)
'Obsolete Victorian view': NCERT to restore original Mohenjodaro Dancing Girl image after controversy over forced modesty
)
Eight feared dead after US Air Force B-52 bomber crashes at California's Edwards Base
"Haryana is the crown of India in the field of sports. And they stopped the wrestling activities for almost 2.5 years. Is it not true that Bajrang went to the Asian Games without trials? I want to ask those who are experts in wrestling," Bhushan said.
Turning his attention to Bhupinder Hooda, Singh accused the Haryana Congress leader of leading the "wrestlers' movement." He claimed that Congress members, including Bhupinder Hooda, Deepender Hooda, Priyanka Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, were behind the entire protest.
"I want to tell the people of Haryana that Bhupinder Hooda, Deepender Hooda, Bajrang or Vinesh, they were not sitting (on protest) for the respect of girls. Due to them, the daughters of Haryana are facing embarrassment. We are not responsible for it, Bhupinder Hooda and Deependra Hooda and these protesters are responsible for it,” news agency ANI quoted Brij Bhushan as saying.
(With inputs from agencies)
