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Amid the ongoing row of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met with Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and others in Jhajjar village of Punjab, early on Wednesday, 27 December. This move comes after the Indian Sports Ministry suspended the wrestling body recently.
The Congress leader visited the Virender Arya Akhara in Punjab and interacted with the wrestlers. The Virender Arya Akhara is where the esteemed Indian wrestler, Bajrang Punia started his journey in the sport. Among other wrestlers was Deepak Punia, the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth gold medallist. “He came to see our routine (training). He did wrestling and exercise with me. He came to see what is the day-to-day life of a wrestler,” Punia told reporters.
Notably, this meeting comes just hours after Vinesh Phogat, World Champion medallist and Olympic medallist, returned her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award to the government in protest over WFI row.
The 29-year-old Punia was among the firsts to return his Padma Shri award after the Sports Ministry suspended Sanjay Singh-led WFI. The Indian wrestler left his honourable medal on the road outside the PM’s residence in protest to the election of Sanjay Singh, who has been a close aide to former WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
