‘Vinesh Phogat should be in Rajya Sabha,' says ex-CM Hooda; uncle Mahavir calls it ‘political stunt’

Congress leader Bhupinder Hooda said that Vinesh Phogat should be nominated to the Rajya Sabha to motivate her after disqualification.

Published on: Aug 8, 2024, 17:07:08 IST

By HT News Desk

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Former Haryana chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who recently got disqualified from the Paris Olympics 2024, should be nominated to the Rajya Sabha. He said that Congress would have nominated her name if the party had the numbers in the state assembly.

Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics after being 100 gm overweight before her final match (Reuters) (HT_PRINT)

Phogat announced her retirement from international wrestling following her shock disqualification from the Paris Olympics, saying that she did not have the strength to continue. She was disqualified after being found 100 gm overweight ahead of her gold medal bout in the 50 kg category.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Bhupinder Hooda said, “To motivate her … There are Rajya Sabha polls soon ... We don't have a majority, else I would have nominated her. She has made us all proud.”

Read more: Vinesh Phogat's Paris Olympics heartbreak casts sombre pall among wrestling fans in Games fan park

His son Deepender Hooda, an MP in the Lok Sabha, said that one seat from the Rajya Sabha fell vacant after his election to the lower house. Vinesh Phogat should be nominated from that seat, he said.

"She has not lost, she has won. She has won the hearts of people and is an inspiration for the youngsters," Deepender Hooda said.

Reacting to the statement made by the Congress leaders, Vinesh Phogat's uncle Mahavir Phogat termed the suggestion to nominate her to Rajya Sabha a “political stunt”.

Mahavir Phogat said that his daughter, wrestler Geeta Phogat, was not sent to the Rajya Sabha despite winning multiple titles while Hooda's government was in power in Haryana.

"Today Bhupinder Hooda said that he would have sent Vinesh to the Rajya Sabha if he could. Why did he not send Geeta Phogat when his government was there?" Mahavir Phogat asked.

The senior Phogat added, "Geeta Phogat set many records. When the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government was in power, he did not even make Geeta a deputy superintendent of police. How can Congress leader Bhupinder Hooda now claim this?"

Earlier today, there was an uproar in the Rajya Sabha after Opposition sought to raise the issue of Phogat's disqualification in the Parliament. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar did not allow the motion, leading to an angry exchange of words between him and opposition MPs.

(With inputs from PTI)

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HT News Desk
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