Hooda leads rousing welcome for Phogat

Congress MP Deepender Hooda led a rousing welcome for wrestler Vinesh Phogat at the Delhi airport on her arrival from the Paris Olympics on Saturday, days after his father and former chief minister Bhupinder Hooda pitched for nominating her to Rajya Sabha from Haryana.

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Vinesh, 29 faced a heartbreaking exit at the Paris Olympics where she was disqualified for being overweight on the day of her 50kg final match, but the Congress and other opposition parties alleged that there was a conspiracy against her due to her participation in the wrestlers’ stir last year.

As the election fever catches on, the issue has taken political overtones in Haryana, with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini earlier declaring that the state government would felicitate Phogat with the same reward that it offers to Olympic Games silver medallists.

Deepender Hooda had vociferously supported the agitation by Phogat and other wrestlers, mostly from Haryana, against the then Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP leader Brijbhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment.