Gag order on Brij Bhushan Singh: BJP cautious ahead of polls

New Delhi: Shortly after the Congress gave a ticket to wrestler Vinesh Phogat, the BJP issued a gag order to former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh. After Vinesh was given a ticket for the upcoming polls in Haryana, Singh began alleging that Phogat’s protest against him on charges of sexual harassment had been “politically motivated” and was done at the behest of Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The ex-WFI chief has been asked to not make any comments that could lead to a row and, in turn, lead the party to trouble. A leader close to Brij Bhushan confirmed the gag order on the leader and said that the party has communicated that with the upcoming elections, any untoward comment could prove to be troublesome for the party.

The gag order, the leader said, could have been a result of Brij Bhushan’s comments that the Hoodas sent Phogat to foment trouble akin to the Pandavas “using” Draupadi in the Mahabharata.

“In the gambling which took place in Mahabharata, Draupadi was put at stake. The Pandavas lost. The country is still not able to accept their reasons for doing it. The Hooda family put the honour of daughters and sisters at stake. The future generation will not forgive them for this and they will always be held guilty for this,” he told reporters on Sunday.

Brij Bhushan also said that he will go and campaign against Phogat if the party permits him to do so.

He has been accused of sexual harassment by wrestlers who had gone on a prolonged protest against him, garnering support from various sections of people. The BJP has been criticised for not dropping Brij Bhushan from his roles in the party, which led the party to not give him a ticket in the last Lok Sabha elections.