File photo of Vinesh Phogat.© AFP
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday said he would have nominated wrestler Vinesh Phogat to the Rajya Sabha if the Congress had the numbers in the state assembly. The grappler bid adieu to her international wrestling career on Thursday, saying she did not have the strength to continue. Announcing her decision to retire on social media, the 29-year-old -- disqualified from the Olympic Games after being found 100 gm overweight ahead of her gold medal bout in the 50 kg category -- sought forgiveness from everyone who supported her.
"To motivate her ... There are Rajya Sabha polls soon ... We don't have a majority, else I would have nominated her. She has made us all proud," Bhupinder Singh Hooda told reporters in Delhi.
His son Deepender Hooda, a Lok Sabha MP, said one seat in the Rajya Sabha from Haryana fell vacant after his election to the Lower House.
Vinesh Phogat should be sent to the Upper House, he said.
"She has not lost, she has won. She has won the hearts of people and is an inspiration for the youngsters," Deepender Hooda said.
"A Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana has fallen vacant as I have come to the Lok Sabha. The election notification has come. What Hooda sahab said today ... She should be given a Rajya Sabha seat. I urge all parties of Haryana to consider this," he added.
Vinesh Phogat's uncle Mahavir Phogat, meanwhile, said despite setting many records, wrestler Geeta Phogat was not sent to the Rajya Sabha when Bhupinder Singh Hooda was chief minister.
"Today Bhupinder Hooda said that he would have sent Vinesh to the Rajya Sabha if he could. Why did he not send Geeta Phogat when his government was there?" Mahavir Phogat asked.
Geeta Phogat is Mahavir Phogat's daughter and Vinesh Phogat's cousin.
Calling it a political stunt, Mahavir Phogat added, "Geeta Phogat set many records. When the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government was in power, he did not even make Geeta a deputy superintendent of police. How can Congress leader Bhupinder Hooda now claim this?"
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)