"All I know is that my country is suffering, farmers are in trouble," Vinesh Phogat said
Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Saturday reached the farmers' protest site at Shambhu border, extending her support to farmers and saying she, as a "daughter," stands with them and prays to God so that farmers get their rights and justice.
Vinesh Phogat also refused to be drawn into speculation about her entering the political arena and called herself an athlete and belong to the whole nation and had "nothing to do with upcoming state assembly polls."
"I am an athlete; I belong to the entire country. I have nothing to do with which state is going to the polls. All I know is that my country is suffering, farmers are in trouble. Their issues should be resolved and it should be the first priority of the Government to resolve this," she said.
When reporters asked if she would contest the Haryana elections, if Congress offers her ticket, wrestler Vinesh Phogat said, "I will not speak on this, I will not talk about politics. I have come to my family. If you talk about this, you would waste their struggle and fight. The focus is not on me today. The focus should be on the farmers, I request this."
Addressing farmers, Vinesh Phogat said, "Your agitation completes 200 days today. I pray to God that you get what you have come here for - your right, for justice...Your daughter stands with you. I also urge the Government. We too are citizens of this country, if we raise our voices it is not political every time...You should hear them...What they are demanding is not unlawful..."
Ms Phogat was also felicitated by farmer leaders as she arrived at the Shambhu Border. The farmer agitation at the border has completed 200 days.
It has been a topsy-turvy month for Vinesh after she reached the final of the women's 50kg event but still returned to India empty-handed. On August 7, Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the United States stood between Vinesh and the gold medal.
However, things went downhill after she was disqualified before the final after breaching the 50kg weight limit. A day after her heartbreaking disqualification, Vinesh announced her decision to retire from wrestling. She also made a plea to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to award her a joint silver medal.
The CAS deferred the verdict a couple of times and eventually dismissed the application filed by Vinesh for a silver medal in the women's 50kg event at the Paris Olympics.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)