Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a surprise visit to Virender Arya Akhara in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, where he engaged with wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia. During the visit, Bajrang Punia revealed that Rahul Gandhi joined him in a wrestling session to experience the daily life of a wrestler. The interaction comes amidst controversy surrounding the Wrestling Foundation of India, leading to the suspension of the WFI by the sports ministry.
The controversy arose after the election of Sanjay Singh as the new president of WFI, with allegations of his close association with former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, protested the election, resulting in Sakshi Malik’s retirement, Bajrang Punia returning his Padma Shri, and Vinesh Phogat planning to return her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award.
Brij Bhushan distanced himself from the WFI issue, stating that he retired from wrestling when Sanjay Singh took charge. He emphasized that Sanjay Singh is a close associate but not a relative, and he is now focused on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Rahul Gandhi’s early morning visit to the akhara surprised the wrestlers, with coach Virendra Arya noting that they were unaware of his arrival. Rahul Gandhi discussed wrestling with the athletes, sharing a meal of roti and saag. Bajrang Punia mentioned that Rahul Gandhi even shot a video for his YouTube channel during the visit. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited Sakshi Malik after her retirement announcement, turning the issue into a political flashpoint.
