RS seat demand: Grappler Vinesh Phogat misses out here too

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 8

The slugfest has broken out in Haryana over sending wrestler Vinesh Phogat to the Rajya Sabha with former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda saying “she deserved to be sent to the Upper House for raising the pride of the country” and CM Nayab Singh Saini accusing the former CM of “playing with emotions of players to serve his political interests”.

Hooda started the debate by asserting: “I would have sent wrestler Vinesh Phogat to the Rajya Sabha if the party (Congress) had the majority of MLAs. She has raised the pride of the country. It would have boosted the morale of sportspersons.”

However, Vinesh, 29, is ineligible to enter the Rajya Sabha. She will turn 30 on August 25. The polling for the byelection to the Rajya Sabha seat, which is vacant due to the election of Deepender Hooda to the Lok Sabha from Rohtak, is scheduled for September 3. The poll notification will be issued on August 14, the last date for making nominations is August 21, and the scrutiny of nominations is on August 22.

As per Article 84 of the Constitution, the minimum age for entering the Rajya Sabha is 30 years. As per the Representation of the People Act, 1951, Vinesh will be three days short of turning 30 on the date of scrutiny.

Describing Hooda’s remarks as a political stunt, Vinesh’s uncle Mahavir Phogat, who is the father of international wrestlers Geeta and Babita, said, “Geeta and Babita were to be appointed as DSPs as per the then sports policy, but Hooda didn’t appoint them, and I had to move court. “Why didn’t he send Geeta and Babita to the Rajya Sabha?... It is a political stunt.”

A Dronacharya awardee, Mahavir joined the BJP in 2019 along with his daughter Babita. CM Nayab Singh Saini, reposting the video of Mahavir on X, commented: “Bhupinder Hooda, you are pretending to be a well-wisher of the players today. Please tell us: Why didn’t you make Geeta and Babita DSPs after their medal wins as per the sports policy? Why didn’t you send Geeta and Babita to the Rajya Sabha when you were in government? Bhupinder Hooda ji, you have always played with the emotions of the players to serve your political interests. Please do not politicise the sensitive issue... our government believes in strategy, not politics.”

Meanwhile, other state leaders also jumped into the debate. Taking on Hooda, INLD secretary general, Abhay Chautala, commented on X, “…when Neeraj Chopra made the country proud by winning gold in the last Olympics, there were Rajya Sabha elections at that time too. Why did Hooda send his son to the Rajya Sabha instead of Neeraj?”

Supporting the move to send Vinesh to the Rajya Sabha, JJP leader Dushyant Chautala said, “The announcement of giving prize money to Vinesh is not enough. Therefore, all 90 MLAs together should send Vinesh to the country’s biggest panchayat, Parliament, as a Rajya Sabha MP so that the respect for Haryana, women, and players increases.”

I would have sent wrestler Vinesh Phogat to the Rajya Sabha if the party (Congress) had the majority of MLAs. She has raised the pride of the country. — Bhupinder Singh Hooda, ex-Chief Minister

Why didn’t you make Geeta and Babita DSPs after their medal wins? Why didn’t you send Geeta and Babita to the Rajya Sabha when you were in government? — Nayab Singh Saini, Chief Minister