Chief Brij bhushan as Railways Moves to Clear Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia for haryana Elections
Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who recently joined the congress party ahead of the haryana assembly elections, are expected to receive clearance from the railways to run in the polls. In contrast, the bjp has instructed former Wrestling Federation of india (WFI) chief Brij bhushan Sharan Singh to refrain from making public statements about the two athletes or discussing them with the media.
Following their shift to congress, Phogat and Punia resigned from their positions with the railways and requested an exemption from the mandatory three-month notice period. A senior indian Railways source indicated that Phogat will need departmental clearance before september 12 to file her nomination papers. The Northern Railway is processing her exit, and it is anticipated that her formalities will be completed soon, enabling her to proceed with her nomination.
This development occurs amid ongoing tensions between the bjp and congress over the alleged political motivations behind the wrestlers' protests. Brij Bhushan, who is facing sexual harassment accusations from some wrestlers, criticized Phogat and Punia on september 7, suggesting that their protests were part of a congress conspiracy led by the Hooda family.
He claimed that the wrestlers’ move to congress has vindicated him and reiterated his belief that the protests were orchestrated by former haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son, Deepender Singh Hooda. bhushan accused the Hooda family of using Phogat and Punia as "pawns" in a scheme to gain control of the wrestling federation and attack the BJP. The bjp has now directed bhushan to avoid commenting on the wrestlers and to cease any media communications on the issue.
As haryana prepares for elections next month, the bjp faces significant challenges, including anti-incumbency sentiment and issues such as the "anti-Jat" perception and the impact of the wrestlers' and farmers' protests. Bhushan, who led the WFI from 2012 after a contentious election against Deepender Singh Hooda, had a strong influence over the federation until protests over sexual harassment allegations led to his resignation. Phogat, Punia, and Olympic medallist sakshi Malik were key figures in the protests.
After his removal, Bhushan's close associate sanjay singh was elected as the new WFI chief. Following their congress induction on september 6, Phogat and Punia have pledged to continue their fight against Bhushan, with Phogat vowing to prevent other women from experiencing similar issues. Phogat, a two-time World Championships medallist and Asiad gold winner, will contest the elections from Julana constituency in Haryana.
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