Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia got first lessons in politics at Jantar Mantar

The January 2023 protest at Jantar Mantar over the alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers by then BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh turned out to be a political learning ground for grapplers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat.

For the two, who officially joined the Congress on Friday, would end up honing their political skills from the makeshift tent, leaving some of the most powerful leaders at the Centre scrambling for answers.

The non-political protest spearheaded by the triad — Bajrang, Vinesh and Sakshi Malik — along with a few other international wrestlers would become one of the biggest anti-government platforms after the farmers’ protest of 2020-21 in recent years.

Initially, the wrestlers refused to share the podium with political leaders, including Brinda Karat. However, when they sat on the dharna for a second time in April last year, after the Delhi Police failed to lodge an FIR, everyone was invited.

Leaders from various political parties joined them, so did khap leaders and Bharatiya Kisan Union national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, the face of the farmers’ protest.

From a ragtag team, the wrestlers now had the backing of everyone that mattered. They had a team of volunteers to run the protest site, on the lines of the farmers’ protests at four locations. Two committees were formed — one comprising farm unions, khap leaders and a few other organisations to set the tone for the protest and other having wrestling coaches to garner more support from the community.

Vinesh, meanwhile, became the face of the protest as she remained at the forefront of all negotiations with government agencies and BJP leaders, who wanted the dharna to end.

“What would those who say the protest has turned political do if their sisters or daughters suffered like this? They sometimes link it to a caste or a party. The PM and Home Minister should take cognisance and end the matter. Give us justice and we will return the next day,” Bajrang had said during the protest.

While their foray into politics has largely been welcomed, there are some who disagree. A volunteer who was with the wrestlers during the Delhi protest said they had been waylaid into joining politics.

In May last year, the three had gathered along with their spouses, family members and supporters at Haridwar’s Har Ki Pauri. They wanted to emulate their hero Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, who had thrown his Olympic medal in the Ohio river after being refused service in a restaurant.

It was also an attempt to hit back at the government after they were physically removed from the protest site and then detained as they tried to march towards the new Parliament building. The movement was over but the fire was burning. They were, however, prevailed over by coaches, including Gyan Singh and Satyawan, Sakshi’s father-in-law. “We wanted them to become Ali and carry forward their legacy. Now they are in the race to becoming an MLA,” he said.

Chaudhary Surinder Solanki, who heads the Palam 360 Khap, felt they should have been consulted before taking the plunge.