Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently toured wrestler Bajrang Punia’s arena in Chhara village, Haryana, engaging with athletes. Following this, Yogeshwar Dutt, an Olympian medalist wrestler and BJP figure, expressed discontent, citing political overtones in wrestling.
On Wednesday in Chhara, Rahul Gandhi interacted with junior wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, and coach Virendra Arya. He even took part in wrestling, shared a meal of vegetables and bread, and observed the players’ practice sessions. However, in the meanwhile no statement of Rahul Gandhi came forward. Yogeshwar Dutt said about this that “Now the agitating wrestlers are no longer wrestlers, they have become politicians. Along with Congress, they are only working and making efforts to change Prime Minister Modi”.
BJP leader Yogeshwar Dutt has accused Congress leaders of politicizing wrestling. He said that the awards are being returned even after the new executive of the Indian Wrestling Association has been suspended, what is happening?
From the outset, Bhupendra Singh Hooda and Deependra Singh Hooda have engaged in political maneuvering concerning wrestlers. Dutt noted that while it’s positive that Rahul Gandhi met with the wrestlers, it appears to be a recent acknowledgment, happening only after the wrestling federation was dissolved. He sees this as purely political. Regarding Brijbhushan, Yogeshwar highlighted his 11-year presidency where no objections were raised. Allegations emerged only after his tenure ended, now pending in court. The entire nation awaits the court’s verdict.
He lamented the absence of wrestling competitions for a year, causing significant losses for wrestlers, particularly in Haryana. This has affected junior players, who have now aged out. He criticized the politicization of the wrestling arena, asserting that the focus has shifted from the sport to political agendas, particularly by the Congress.
