Former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh, against whom wrestlers had levelled sexual harassment allegations, accused Olympic wrestler Vinesh Phogat of cheating to attend the games. He claimed that Phogat could not win a medal because God had punished her.
“I want to ask Vinesh Phogat whether a player can give trials in two weight categories in one day? Can the trials be paused for five hours after the weigh-in?... You did not win the wrestling; you went there by cheating. God has punished you for it," the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president said.
His comments came a day after Congress named Phogat as the candidate for the Haryana Assembly election from Julana.
Claiming that "Vinesh was not entitled to go to the Olympics," Bhushan further stated, "She had taken away another player's rightful spot in the Olympics".
"She went to the Olympics by taking the spot of the girl who had defeated her in the trials, and by creating a commotion. Therefore, whatever happened to her was justified, and she deserved it," he alleged.
The BJP leader also alleged that Bajrang Punia participated in the Asian Games without completing the trials.
"Haryana is the crown of India in the field of sports. And they stopped the wrestling activities for almost 2.5 years. Is it not true that Bajrang went to the Asian Games without trials? I want to ask those who are experts in wrestling," Bhushan said.
Phogat and Punia, who were at the forefront of the wrestlers' protest against Brij Bhushan last year, marked their political entry on Friday by joining the Congress. While Phogat was fielded for the polls, Punia was appointed as the working chairman of the All India Kisan Congress.
Bhushan called Vinesh Phogat the "face of the Congress conspiracy" and claimed that she was part of a plot hatched against him by Congress leader Deepender Hooda and the Hooda family.
Continuing his attacks against the wresters, Bushan further asserted that he is "not guilty of disrespecting daughters" and said, "If anyone is guilty of disrespecting daughters, it is Bajrang and Vinesh. And the one who wrote the script, Bhupinder Hooda, is responsible for that".
Bhushan also mentioned that he will join the campaign for the BJP in Haryana if the party asks. On Friday, he said that any BJP candidate will defeat Phogat in Haryana.
Phogat, after joining the party, had said the BJP was supporting Singh while the Congress supported the protesting wrestlers when they "were being dragged on the roads" in Delhi. Punia also echoed Phogat, saying that the Congress stood with them during their tough times.
BJP leaders alleged that the wrestlers' protest was a 'conspiracy' by the Congress to target BJP.
Source: India Today