‘Leave Congress Or…’: Bajrang Punia Receives Death Threats Via WhatsApp

On Sunday, Olympian wrestler Bajrang Punia said he has received a death threat on WhatsApp from an international number. The caller had asked him to get out of the Congress party and otherwise, he will have to face dire consequences, threatening him it was a “first and last warning.” Police have started an investigation into the threat calls.

Punia, along with fellow Olympian Vinesh Phogat, recently joined the Congress party ahead of the Haryana assembly elections. Both the wrestlers formally joined the party in Delhi last week, where Phogat was announced to contest from Julana and Punia was made the Working Chairman of the All India Kisan Congress.

Phogat thanked the Congress party, saying, “I want to thank the Congress party. The moment we were protesting, except the BJP, all other parties were understanding our pain. Congress is ready to fight for the women of this country. I want to assure each and every woman of this country that we are standing with them.” BJP IT Cell tried to build an image that we won’t be able to do wrestling, and that is why we are doing politics. But I fought back. It is a very proud moment for me. I want that no other athlete would face what we had faced in the past.

Punia attacked BJP and said, “What the BJP is saying, that we were only doing politics, I want to tell them that we had given letters to its leaders but still no one had come to support us. We had not asked for anything from Congress, still they were with us. When the entire country was feeling bad for Vinesh, it was BJP IT cell which was celebrating.”

Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan welcomed the wrestlers, saying, “Both of them have won the hearts of people. We are proud of them. We are proud of Vinesh. Now she is entering into the political arena. We welcome them.”

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said, “They protested with farmers, they stood with Agniveers. Leaders are produced during such movements. We are proud to have them both in our party.”

Before entering Congress, both Phogat and Punia had sent in their resignation from Indian Railways. In his resignation letter, Punia had written, “I had joined this prestigious service on 13th September 2014. I am thankful to the Northern Railways for the grooming provided to me in my professional service, and I also express my profound gratitude to all who worked with me in all my capacities during the course of my service in the Northern Railways. I wish to tender my resignation from my post of OSD Sports, Northern Railways, and request you to relieve me of my duties thereto. I have decided to tender my resignation on account of personal reasons and circumstances at my home. I have already informed you verbally regarding this.”