Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia Used as Pawns by Congress: Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh Indian Wrestling in the Middle of Political Tensions
The unending rigmarole between the government and Wrestling Federation of India took a dramatic turn when its erstwhile chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, came out attacking Olympians Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia for being used as “pawns” by the Congress party. This comes as the two wrestlers joined the Congress, further heating an already heated battle within Indian wrestling. Singh has gone on to claim that the wrestlers are part of a larger political conspiracy to discredit the Bharatiya Janata Party and take back control over the WFI. His allegations underline once more the deepening interrelationship between sports, politics, and power in India.
Brij Bhushan Singh’s Allegations: A Conspiracy Unveiled
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been the one man wielding much influence in the WFI since 2012. He is convinced that the exodus of wrestlers to Congress is not an accident. Singh says Phogat and Punia were used by the Congress and the former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda because they want to “capture” the WFI. “They were faces. they were mohrey,” Singh said. They were used like pawns by Bhupinder Hooda, the Congress, and the Congress family.”
Singh’s comment comes at a time when he faces criminal complaints of sexual harassment filed by women wrestlers, including Phogat. Singh was axed as WFI chief last year after a widening protest led by three of India’s most-decorated athletes-Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik-who eventually forced Singh to resign as WFI President. His clout in the organization is, however, pretty solid since his close lieutenant Sanjay Singh was elected as the new WFI chief.
Political Vendetta or Real Agitation?
Singh’s allegations are deeper and trace back to the tussle between the two camp headed by Bhupinder Singh Hooda way back in 2012 over the presidency of WFI. Singh defeated Hooda’s son Deepender Singh Hooda in the WFI elections. According to Singh, this is the actual cause behind the present mess. All this was a conspiracy to wrest control of the Wrestling Federation of India and mount an attack on the BJP and its ideology,” Singh said, adding that this indicated the Congress used the wrestlers to achieve their certain politicking ends.
Tensions between Singh and the wrestlers have been escalating for months. In trying to portray the protests against him as political in nature and not a fight for justice by aggrieved athletes, Singh has denied the sexual harassment allegations, saying that the timing of the wrestlers to involve themselves with the Congress is suspect.
Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia Stand Firm in Their Fight
While Singh has been making these assertions repeatedly, Phogat and Punia have not taken his words lying down. Phogat, who had declared her candidature for the Julana constituency in Haryana assembly polls a while back, spoke eloquently that it was not over till the fat lady stopped singing. “We will keep fighting against Brij Bhushan Singh so that no woman has to go through what I faced,” she promised. Phogat, a two-time world championships medallist and Asian Games gold-winner, has been vocal about the harassment allegations and the culture of intimidation within the WFI.
Another Olympic bronze medallist, Bajrang Punia, too, has matched his commitment to the cause. Being made the working chairman of the All India Kisan Congress, it crystal-clears a fact that he doesn’t want to stop at merely changing things within the WFI; rather, he wants to make a change he would want to see in greater societal issues. Just like Phogat, he too has promised to continue the fight against Singh’s alleged misdeeds despite the uphill task they have in front of them.
Sakshi Malik: The Neutral Stand Interestingly
Sakshi Malik, the other Olympic bronze-medallist, who led protests against Singh, has preferred to stay clear from political parties. Offered political positions, Malik maintained her stand of staying off the political turf. She continues to focus at the agitation itself, insisting that the fight is about justice for the women athletes and not a political ploy. Her stand absolutely contradicts the political moves of Phogat and Punia because they fall on different perspectives over the issue.
Brij Bhushan’s ‘clean’ act: brush aside the allegations
Singh, on his part, has been dismissive in response to such claims by Phogat, saying that the allegations were unfounded. He even pointed at the timing of the alleged incident to assert that he was not even present when Phogat claims the harassment took place. “What happened with her? The incident which she alleges happened at a time when I was in Lucknow. Time will tell the truth,” Singh said, oozing confidence that he would be vindicated.
The point, therefore, is that the motive of the wrestlers is suspect. Singh’s response to the charges by Phogat thus falls under a broader defense of his wherein he attempts to insinuate that the protests are more part of a political vendetta rather than an issue of sexual harassment and abuse of power.
The Future of the Wrestling Federation of India
The political and legal fights continue, and the future of WFI hangs in limbo. Even though it is now headed by an aide of Singh, namely Sanjay Singh, WFI is still waiting to get recognition from the sports ministry. The world governing body of wrestling, UWW, has endorsed WFI; however, the country is keeping it under suspension. That’s where the complication in the ongoing struggle of wrestling between the wrestlers and the leadership of WFI gets more deep-rooted.
The political battlelines are sure to thicken when elections in Haryana reach a fever pitch, which Vinesh Phogat is certain to contest. In fact, her candidature, along with Punia’s new role in the Congress, underlines a new turn in the wrestlers’ battle against Singh. This might either bring in long-lasting change to the WFI or push the present power dynamics deeper into the strata.
Conclusion: A Battle Beyond the Wrestling Mat
Charges against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh piece together the reasons for acrimonious political divisions within the Wrestling Federation of India. Framing it as a result of a political conspiracy by the Congress and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the fight of Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia is essentially for justice and accountability in sport. Yet, in these unraveling legal, political, and personal battles-so too is the future of Indian wrestling up in the air. Athletes and political leaders are tussling over the sport’s governing body.
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