Rahul Gandhi surprises wrestlers with his early morning visit to akhara in Haryana

Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Wrestling Federation of India, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday morning paid a “surprise” visit to a prominent akhara in Haryana’s Bahadurgarh town, adjoining the national capital, and interacted with young wrestlers training under Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia. वर्षों की जीतोड़ मेहनत, धैर्य एवं अप्रतिम अनुशासन के साथ अपने खून और पसीने से मिट्टी को सींच कर एक खिलाड़ी अपने देश के लिए मेडल लाता है। आज झज्जर के छारा गांव में भाई विरेंद्र आर्य के अखाड़े पहुंच कर ओलंपिक पदक विजेता बजरंग पूनिया समेत अन्य पहलवान भाइयों के साथ चर्चा की। सवाल… pic.twitter.com/IeGOebvRl6 — Rahul Gandhi December 27, 2023 Mr. Arya told The Hindu over a phone call that the wrestlers, busy with their morning exercises, had been surprised to see Mr. Gandhi, who reached at about 6 a.m. “He also discussed the sequence of events leading to the wrestlers protest, and the recent events over the past few days. Mr. Gandhi also advocated the need for politicians to stay away from sports federations and let players take control of them,” the coach said, adding that he too had been surprised by the visit. “He might have been aware of Mr. Gandhi’s visit, but he did not disclose it to us,” Mr. Arya, who has since 1995 been heading the akhara that has produced around 30 international wrestlers, including two Olympians — Bajrang Punia and Deepak Punia.