New Delhi:

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi right now met the nation’s outstanding wrestlers, together with Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Poonia, at a gathering in Haryana’s Jhajjar district.

The assembly comes amid a number of wrestlers returning their awards to protest the election outcomes of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Sanjay Singh, an aide of BJP MP and former wrestling boss Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, was elected president of WFI. The BJP MP needed to step apart within the wake of sexual harassment allegations towards him earlier this yr.

Mr Poonia, Commonwealth Video games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat and Olympic bronze medallist Sakshee Malikkh had led the protest towards Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Chatting with information company ANI, Mr Poonia stated, “He (Rahul Gandhi) got here to see our wrestling routine. He did wrestling. He got here to see the day-to-day actions of a wrestler.”

#WATCH | Haryana: On Congress MP Rahul Gandhi visits Virender Arya Akhara in Chhara village of Jhajjar district, Wrestler Bajrang Poonia says, “He got here to see our wrestling routine…He did wrestling…He got here to see the day-to-day actions of a wrestler.” pic.twitter.com/vh0aP921I3

— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2023

Earlier, Mr Poonia stated he had determined to return his Padma Shri and won’t take it again until “sisters and daughters” preventing towards sexual harassment get justice.

At a press convention quickly after the WFI election outcomes, Ms Malikkh stated she had determined to stop wrestling to protest towards the victory of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s aide. 

The actions of WFI have since been suspended by the centre over hasty announcement of the junior nationals. 

The Sports activities ministry’s assertion additionally famous that the newly elected physique “seems to be (in) full management of former workplace bearers in full disregard to the Sports activities Code”.

The enterprise of WFI, the ministry stated, is being run from the premises managed by former workplace bearers. “Which can be alleged premises whereby sexual harassment of the gamers have been alleged and (at) current the court docket in listening to the matter,” it added.