‘Congress Ki Beti Ya Desh Ki Beti’: Haryana BJP Leader Anil Vij Questions Vinesh Phogat

Chandigarh: Taking a dig at star Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat over joining Congress, senior Haryana BJP leader Anil Vij on Friday, September 6 said what objection could they (BJP) have if she wanted to become “Congress ki beti (Congress’s daughter)” from “desh ki beti (country’s daughter”.

Anil Vij was asked about Phogat and another wrestler Bajrang Punia, both from Haryana, hours before the two joined the Congress on Friday ahead of the Assembly polls in the state.

“Agar woh desh ki beti sey Congress ki beti banna chaahti hai, to hamein kya etraaz hai (if Vinesh wants to become Congress’ daughter from being the country’s daughter, what objection can we have),” said Vij, who served as the Haryana home minister.

He also alleged that the wrestlers’ movement was “instigated” by Congress and that the party was trying to bring these players with them from the very first day

“It was because of their (Congress’) instigation that the (Delhi) protest was going on, otherwise the matter would have settled long before,” he said.

Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior leaders in New Delhi at his 10, Rajaji Marg and joined the party at a press conference at the AICC headquarters.

Notably, Phogat on Friday resigned from the Indian Railways citing personal reasons.

Punia is a Tokyo Games bronze medallist, while Phogat became the first woman wrestler to reach the Olympics final, the stage where she was disqualified after being found overweight by about 100 gm in the 50-kg category weigh-in. She subsequently announced her retirement from the sport.

Both the wrestlers were part of the massive protest over sexual harassment allegations against former BJP MP and then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in 2023-24.

Congress MP Deepender Hooda led a rousing welcome for Phogat at the Delhi airport on her arrival from the Paris Olympics last month and vociferously supported the agitation by Phogat and other wrestlers.

(With PTI inputs)