Rohtak: Every election season, wrestlers in Haryana would campaign for politicians cutting across party lines. For political parties, these pahalwans are much sought-after not just for their local appeal but also because they come with man and muscle power.
But as the state goes to polls this 21 October, the wrestlers are conspicuous by their absence in Haryana’s election battlefield this time. Reason: they want to focus more on wrestling.
Traditionally, wrestlers are hired as bouncers for candidates who need them for crowd management during election rallies. They also go for door-to-door campaigning.
Election season also gives the wrestlers an opportunity to mint money. Sources told ThePrint that wrestlers are hired at a minimum of Rs 2,000 per day with some even being paid upto Rs 2 lakh for the entire election campaign.
But, local sources said, this culture has changed, especially over the last 10 years, as wrestlers have decided to focus more on their professional career instead of looking to earn easy cash.
ThePrint visited three akharas in Rohtak — Merchand, Jat College and Maharishi Dayanand University (MDU) — and found that most of the wrestlers had either not been approached by political parties at all or had turned down such offers.
“Yogeshwar Dutt and Krishan Hooda’s son approached us, but we haven’t sent anyone,” said the coach of an akhara who did not wish to be named. Dutt and Hooda are BJP candidates.
He, however, complained that “wrestlers are being slandered for no reason”. The coach said these days anyone who works out is called a pahalwan. “(But) most of the people who practise here (at the akhara) are professionals,” he added.
Not just professional wrestlers, even bodybuilders are engaged by politicians during election season as bouncers.
A 28-year-old former wrestler, Sandeep Kharab, who is now a physical education teacher at GBD College in Rohtak, however, said this practice happens in Gurgaon and Faridabad, and not in Rohtak and the rest of the state.
“Even I have participated in campaigns earlier, but for relatives,” he said. “The hiring that is being mentioned now predominantly happens in Gurgaon, Faridabad area, not here (Rohtak).”
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Wrestlers want to win Olympics now
Raj Kumar Hooda, secretary of Haryana Wrestling Association, said it was former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda who changed the tide.
“Hooda introduced a slew of changes that provided the wrestlers with the opportunity to practise the profession and not always look outside it for sustenance,” he said. “Over the last ten years, those choosing to make money from election campaigns has reduced drastically.”
Ranbir Dhaka, the coach at Merchand akhara, has been training wrestlers since 2005. According to him, wrestlers hired for election campaigns is a 20-year-old phenomenon.
“(But) ever since they (the wrestlers) started winning medals at the international stage, many have decided to focus on their careers instead,” he told ThePrint. “They drive fancy cars and have government jobs, when do they have time to skip practice and go for such things (election campaigns)?” Dhaka asked.
Dhaka also alleged that police conduct regular raids to check if the wrestlers are attending their practice sessions.
“A couple of days ago, nearly 200 policemen came to our akhara. They checked our registers to see if all our students were there,” he said.
Dhaka said: “This is not what we want to be known for.” “All these sportsperson now aspire to play and win in the Olympics, and make the country proud,” he added.
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‘Only unsuccessful wrestlers are hired now’
One of the wrestlers at Dhaka’s akhara, Mohit, told ThePrint that he had attended election rallies earlier in his personal capacity to support former MP Deepender Hooda.
“He has done a lot for sportspersons. I have attended many of his rallies,” he said.
Ram Hooda, 25, who has been wrestling for the last eight years, said many candidates came knocking at his door, but he said no. “Everyone comes and asks us to join them in their campaigns, but I have no time for it, considering my practice schedule,” he said.
Many others said that they were not approached at all.
Amit, a 24-year-old wrestler, says no candidate visited his akhara. “No candidate has come here, we only focus on wrestling.”
Jat College akhara coach Sukhwinder Mor said candidates mostly hire former wrestlers or those who have been unsuccessful professionally.
“Badnaam karte hain pahalwanon ko apna dab-daba banane ke liye (They malign the reputation of wrestlers to build their image),” he said. “It’s only former pahalwans or unsuccessful ones who agree to be hired now.”
‘BJP govt has done nothing for wrestlers’
Most of the wrestlers ThePrint interacted with said the state BJP government had done little for sportspersons despite the fact that the party has fielded three prominent sportspersons in this election — Babita Phogat, former Indian hockey captain Sandeep Singh and Yogeshwar Dutt.
“The Khattar government has cut the prize money by more than half,” said Hardeep, who practises wrestling at Merchand akhara. Hardeep was referring to the cash award that the state government gives to wrestlers who would win medals in international competitions.
“They have also shut the nurseries and moved them to private schools,” he added. Nurseries are places where wrestlers train children.
Wrestlers at Jat College and MDU echoed similar sentiments and said they would back Bhupinder Hooda in the upcoming polls.
Mamta, 23, who is a three-time Asia Championship medalist, said the BJP government didn’t even give them their awards.
“The BJP government has done nothing for sportspersons,” she told ThePrint. “They haven’t even released our awards. Why should I vote for the BJP when they have done nothing for us,” she asked.
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