Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP strongman Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Saturday said that Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joining the Congress has proved that the wrestlers’ protests against him was conspiracy hatched by the grand old party and that former Haryana chief minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda was the brain behind it.

The two wrestlers were at the forefront of a massive protest against Singh in 2023, accusing him of sexually harassing several female wrestlers during his tenure as WFI chief.

“On 18th January 2023, when the protest started at Jantar Mantar, I said that this is not a movement of sportspersons, Congress is behind it. Especially Bhupinder Hooda, Deepender Hooda, Priyanka ji, and Rahul ji. This is a movement of Congress. And today this thing has been proved. In this entire movement, the conspiracy that happened against us, Congress was involved in it and Bhupinder Hooda was leading it,” Singh stated.

Singh further lashed out at Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, as well as the Congress leaders he holds responsible for the protests.

“I want to tell the people of Haryana that Bhupinder Hooda, Deepender Hooda, Bajrang, and Vinesh were not sitting (on protest) for the dignity of girls. Due to them, the daughters of Haryana are facing embarrassment. We are not responsible for it, Bhupinder Hooda and Deependra Hooda and these protesters are responsible for it.”

The BJP leader also questioned what his detractors would say if it were proven that he was not in Delhi on the day of the incident on which the allegations against him are being made.

“They used daughters for politics and defamed daughters, especially women athletes. They were not fighting for the honour of daughters; they were fighting for politics,” he added.

The BJP leader claimed he is innocent in the matter and further accused the wrestlers and the Congress party of disrespecting the daughters.

“I am not guilty of disrespecting daughters. 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. One day Congress will have to regret it,” he further stated.

His remarks came a day after Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia formally joined the Congress.

Shortly after this, Congress announced its first list of 32 candidates for the Haryana Assembly elections and fielded Vinesh Phogat as it’s candidate from Julana constituency in Jind district.

The Congress has appointed Bajrang Punia as the working chairman of the All India Kisan Congress.

Elections to the 90-member Haryana Legislative Assembly are scheduled to be held on October 5, while the counting of votes will take place on October 8.