Bajrang Punia says he has received death threat after joining Congress: A fallout of political controversy
Tokyo Olympics medallist and Olympic wrestler Bajrang Punia, who was a toast of the nation, suddenly finds himself at the eye of a political storm.
Death threat over joining Congress
Days after he joined the Congress and made working chairman of All India Kisan Congress, Punia received a chilling death threat on WhatsApp. The anonymous message from an international number said “leave Congress” or he and his family should face serious consequences.
This threat also underlines the risks that athletes run when they plunge into the political fray and speaks about increasing friction as elections to the Haryana Assembly get closer. The political plunge by Punia, along with fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat, has been one of the most-watched issues, at least among those who perceive them as their rivals in these elections.
The Threat: A Warning with Political Implications
In the complaint, Bajrang Punia narrated that the threatening message was asking him to back off from his latest political role. The message was: “This is our last message. We will show you our strength before the elections. You may file a complaint anywhere. But this is your first and last warning.” Subsequently, an investigation into the source of the threat was activated with a formal complaint lodged by the wrestler with the police.
Sonipat SP Ravindra Singh confirmed the incident and added, “The message and the international number from which the threatening message was sent are being actively traced.” A threat of this nature underlines how high-stakes a game political engagements have become in the region as heavyweights like Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat take the plunge.
Bajrang Punia’s Political Journey: From Wrestler to Congress Leader
And nobody would deny the fact that Bajrang Punia’s induction into Congress has sent shockwaves into the political scenario, more so when it has taken place barely a few days before the Haryana Assembly elections. Known for relentless pursuit of victory on the wrestling mat, Bajrang is having a proper taste of an equally demanding world. Along with Vinesh Phogat, he made a formal foray into politics on September 6, 2024, with both wrestlers playing major roles in Congress.
Meanwhile, Punia has been made the working chairman of the All India Kisan Congress while Vinesh Phogat has been declared the Congress candidate for the Julana seat. The two wrestlers have held protests lately against former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who had faced sexual harassment allegations from multiple athletes, including Bajrang and Vinesh. This foray into politics once again sparked a debate on how much clout sports federations and politicians enjoy in India.
Response of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh: Controversial Remarks
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the erstwhile chief of WFI and BJP leader, lost no time in reacting to the political entry of wrestlers. Singh was the most controversial figure in the last several months owing to allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him. “Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat are part of the Congress-backed conspiracy aimed at unseating me from my post,” he accused them of.
Singh said in media interactions following Bajrang’s and Vinesh’s joining Congress, “On 18th January 2023 when this protest started at Jantar Mantar I had said that this is not a movement of sportspersons, Congress is behind it. Specially Bhupinder Hooda, Deepender Hooda, Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi. This is the movement of Congress. And today this has been proved.”
Singh further said their protest was not in real support of the women athletes but only politically motivated. He went on to say that anybody could win against Bajrang and Vinesh if the wrestlers contested the Haryana Assembly elections. The contentious statement by Singh went as far as to include even the recent disqualification of Vinesh at the Paris Games, which he termed “divine punishment” for her alleged complicity in the political conspiracy against him.
A History of Tension: The Wrestlers’ Protest Against Brij Bhushan
This is not a first fire test for Olympic wrestler Bajrang Punia. In 2023, both Bajrang and Vinesh were leading a protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar was over the sexual harassment allegations against Singh after a few top wrestlers came out seeking justice.
There was sufficient media attention given to the protest; the police action was also taken against Singh. However, when the protests started getting loud, Singh completely denied the charges, claiming that he was not even in Delhi on the date of the alleged incident, and termed it a political ploy by the opposition Congress party to discredit him.
The protest by wrestlers and the subsequent courtroom battles marked an important turning point in Indian sport and blew the lid off what ails sportspersons, particularly women, in the sporting ecosystem.
Road Ahead: Political and Personal Battles
While their political plunge was projected as their preparedness for the Haryana Assembly elections, personal threats have brought them face-to-face with both, according to them rising because of their political affiliation. The nature of the death threat against Punia raises very serious questions about the safety of public figures who have joined political parties only recently.
As far as Bajrang is concerned, the challenge is not about winning an election; it is more about how he would avoid getting affected by the political landscape in the country as an athlete and also as a public figure. The wrestler showed resilience at the international arena and now needs to replicate it at the political front.
High-pitched elections are in the offing in Haryana, with Bajrang and Vinesh lying at the fulcrum of Congress’s strategy to seal rural and agricultural votes. This could very well make all the difference in the election outcome, considering the influence this duo enjoys amongst the youth and sports circles.
Conclusion: Sport and Politics in Interaction-A Complex Interplay
Just when Bajrang Punia thought his Olympic wrestler-to-Congress leader story was ruling the headlines, little did he imagine that events would take a sinister turn in dangerous ways. Indian wrestling’s enfant terrible remains brazen at the end of an investigation into who issued a recent death threat against him. His bravery on and off the mat will now be tested as he goes ahead to navigate complex Haryana politics with Vinesh Phogat.
With the Haryana Assembly elections, the conjunction of sports and politics has once again come to the fore, and this time it has thrown national wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat into the forefront. Though it remains to be seen whether they will emerge through political adversaries and personal threats, one thing is for sure-that both wrestlers are up for a fight.
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