NEW DELHI: Former wrestler and Congress leader Vinesh Phogat said on Wednesday that the fight is not over yet, and she will continue to make efforts for justice for common people in Julana. Phogat won the Julana seat by about 6,000 votes, defeating BJP’s Captain Yogi Bairegi in a closely contested Haryana assembly election.
Expressing gratitude to the people of Julana on the social media platform X, Phogat wrote in Hindi: “Thank you, Julana and the people of Haryana! I wholeheartedly thank all the residents of Julana for their immense love and blessings, as well as everyone from every corner of the country who is praying for my victory.Many thanks to all the 36 communities of Julana Halke who gave me strength with their support and faith in helping me win this fight for justice.”
She emphasised that the victory belongs to the people and vowed to work towards Julana’s progress. “I assure you that for all of you, I will continue to make consistent efforts for Julana’s progress. However, this fight is not over yet. We need to grow stronger and continue the struggle until common people like us start receiving justice. I appeal to every citizen of Haryana to remain united on this difficult path and keep raising our voices for our rights and justice,” Phogat said.
“This is just the beginning; we must maintain our strength and resolve so that every common person receives their rights and justice,” she added.
Phogat concluded her message with gratitude for the direct and indirect support she has received: “I will always be grateful for the tireless work, dedication, and support given by all of you, both directly and indirectly.”
Julana is predominantly a Jat community seat, with about 185,000 voters, half of whom belong to the Jat community.
During the Paris Olympics, Phogat was disqualified for exceeding the 50 kg weight limit by 100 grams, despite attempts to meet the criteria. The Wrestling Federation of India also appealed the decision, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected her plea against the disqualification. Phogat retired from wrestling on August 8, marking the end of her career in the sport.