'Vinesh Phogat Deserves Rajya Sabha Seat,' Says Ex-CM Hooda; Uncle Mahavir Calls It 'Political Stunt'

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.

Phogat announced her retirement from international wrestling following her shock disqualification, saying that she did not have the strength to continue and sought forgiveness from everyone who supported her. 

She was disqualified after being found 100 gm overweight ahead of her gold medal bout in the 50 kg category.

"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," Bhupinder Singh Hooda told reporters in Delhi.

His son Deepender Hooda, a Lok Sabha MP, said one seat in the Rajya Sabha from Haryana fell vacant after his election to the Lower House. Vinesh Phogat should be sent to the Upper House, 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.

"A Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana has fallen vacant as I have come to the Lok Sabha. The election notification has come. What Hooda sahab said today ... She should be given a Rajya Sabha seat. I urge all parties of Haryana to consider this," he added.

Uncle Mahavir Phogat Calls It ‘Political Stunt’

Vinesh Phogat's uncle Mahavir Phogat, meanwhile, said despite setting many records, wrestler Geeta Phogat was not sent to the Rajya Sabha when Bhupinder Singh Hooda was chief minister.

"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.

Geeta Phogat is Mahavir Phogat's daughter and Vinesh Phogat's cousin. Calling it a political stunt, Mahavir 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?"

His other daughter Babita Phogat, former wrestler and BJP leader, also slammed the Congress party over the comments.

“Someone should learn from Congress how to find political opportunities in a disaster!!” Babita wrote in a post on X, sharing another post by Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda, Bhupinder’s son, who supported his father’s suggestion. 

(With PTI Inputs)