In the backdrop of WFI row, Rahul Gandhi meets Bajrang Punia, other wrestlers at 'akhara' in Haryana's Jhajjar

Jhajjar/Chandigarh, December 27

Against the backdrop of a controversy surrounding the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday morning made an “impromptu” visit to an ‘akhara’ in Haryana’s Jhajjar district and met a group of wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia.

A senior Haryana Congress leader from the district said Gandhi reached the Virender Akhara at Chhara village early in the morning.

He later interacted with the wrestlers, including Punia.

Gandhi was at the ‘akhara’ for a couple of hours.

The former Congress president’s meeting with the wrestlers comes amid the controversy surrounding the WFI.

After Gandhi left, Punia told reporters that the Congress leader saw the daily routine of wrestlers at the ‘akhara’ and interacted with them.

Asked if the WFI issue also figured during the meeting with Gandhi, another grappler said they told the Congress leader that wrestlers had been through a lot of mental stress.

To a question, he described Gandhi’s visit as “impromptu” and said the wrestlers at the ‘akhara’ were not aware of it.

“He reached the ‘akhara’ at 6.15 am. He asked us about our daily routine, saw how we do our exercises and he, too, did some exercises.

“We were happy that he has a lot of knowledge about wrestling and also knows some techniques,” the wrestler told reporters.

He said Gandhi also had milk, ‘bajre ki roti’ and ‘saag’ with them. Gandhi was also offered some locally grown vegetables which he took along. With PTI