"Their personal choice": Sakshi Malik on Barjang Punia, Vinesh Phogat joining Congress, says she too "got offers"

New Delhi [India], September 6 : Ahead of formal induction of Olympians Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat into Congress, Olympic medallist wrestler Sakshi Malik on Friday said that the choice to join the political party was solely the personal choice of the two athletes and that she herself wont be taking a political plunge as she wanted to further the cause of women in wrestling.
"I also got several political offers, Sakshi Malik said adding that she refused to take them up because she says she "believes in staying true to my fight for women in wrestling."
Both Punia and Phogat were seen leaving from the residence of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge earlier today. The development comes ahead of polling for for 90-member Haryana Assembly scheduled for October 5 with counting of votes will take place on October 8.
Sakshi Malik said, "It is their personal choice to join the party. I believe that we should make sacrifices. Our agitation, the fight for women should not be given a wrong impression... From my end, the agitation continues...I too had received offers but I wanted to see what I started till the end. Unless the Federation is cleaned and the exploitation of women ends, my fight will continue. The fight is genuine and it will continue."
She further said that her fight was against only one person Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and she would not join political campaigns ahead of polls in Haryana.
"I am apolitical. I work in Railways. My fight was only against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. I am not linked to any party so I will not join any party campaign," Sakshi said.
Sources said that Bajrang Puniya will not be contesting the Assembly Election he is likely to be appointed as the co-chairman of the campaign committee of Haryana Congress for the Haryana Assembly polls and Vinesh Phogat will contest the election. Her seat will be finalized by the evening.
On Wednesday, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in the national capital.
At the Paris Olympics, Vinesh was disqualified from the 50 kg gold medal bout after she was found to be 100 gms overweight. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) also dismissed her petition to be awarded a joint silver. She announced her retirement from wrestling on August 8, a day after her disqualification. Since her return home there has been intense speculation that she would enter active politics like her cousin Babita who is a BJP MLA.
In 2023, wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat were part of the protest against Brij Bhushan who was accused of sexual harassment of female wrestlers.