Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan attends felicitation ceremony for woman wrestler in Charkhi Dadri

Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Sunday attended a felicitation ceremony for a woman wrestler in Haryana despite opposition from some khap panchyats.

Singh attended the event in Bond Kalan village in Charkhi Dadri district where wrestler Rachna Parmar was felicitated. Rachna had recently won a gold in the women’s 43kg category at the Under-17 Asian Wrestling Championships in Vietnam.

Charkhi Dadri happens to be the home district of Olympian and now a Congress MLA from Julana Vinesh Phogat, who was among wrestlers to lead a protest against Singh.

The representatives of some Khap panchayats opposed Singh’s visit on the grounds that he faced charges of sexual harassment by women wrestlers.

The matter is still in court.

Asked that some khaps and farmers outfits have opposed his visit, Singh replied, “What I have to do with this.”

Singh while speaking at the event hoped that the country’s first Olympic gold in wrestling will be won by an athlete from the state of Haryana.

Vinesh Phogat came close winning a gold at Paris Olympics but was disqualified hours before the 50kg final for being overweight.

“India is home to many sports, we also win medals. But people of the country always hope that wrestling will get a medal for the nation. We will win a gold medal and it will come from Haryana,” Singh said.

“We will give this responsibility to Yogeshwar Dutt.

BJP leader Dutt had won a bronze at 2012 London Olympics. He has coached Tokyo Games bronze winner Bajrang Punia in the past. PTI