Watch: Rahul Gandhi spars with Bajrang Punia in a martial arts match while showcasing his Jiu-Jitsu abilities in a viral video

While visiting the Virendra Akhara in the Jhajjar area of Haryana, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi displayed his prowess in jiu-jitsu, participating in a martial arts match with wrestler Bajrang Punia amid the controversy surrounding the Wrestling Federation of India elections.

Gandhi visited the wrestlers early on Wednesday morning, practicing with them and showing them the Japanese martial arts techniques.

Gandhi is seen demonstrating his jiu-jitsu “locks” and “chokes” technique as he pins Olympic Games bronze medalist Bajrang to the mat in a video that Bajrang posted on “X” on Thursday.

Japanese jiu-jitsu is a close-quarters fighting sport and martial art.

The former president of the Congress also picked up several wrestling techniques, such as “dhak” and “dhobi pachaad,” when Bajrang clarified the distinction between mat and mud wrestling.

Gandhi practices aikido, a contemporary Japanese martial art style, and is well-known for having a preference for fighting sports.

Rahul’s aikido teacher, Sensei Paritos Kar, claims that the Congress MP took a test in 2013 and passed it, earning a black belt in the process.

Gandhi met with the wrestlers and they had brunch together. In addition to “bajre ki roti,” “saag,” and milk, he was also given some locally produced veggies, which he carried with him.

“Today Rahul ji came to our akhada and we felt really good, he came to see how the wrestlers live and train and everyone was very happy,” Bajrang said in the clip.

“He (Gandhi) said he practices jiu-jitsu, he was telling us the moves and how it starts and I showed the basics of our game like ‘dhobi packaged’ and ‘dhak’.”

Famous moves like the Dhobi Pachaad and Dhak include a wrestler lifting his opponent by the shoulders and slamming him to the mat. In Dhak, the opponent is held in a headlock until the wrestler throws him to the ground.

Gandhi’s visit to the wrestling school happened a few days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi received his Padma Shri back from Punia, who has been leading the protests against former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Punia made the choice after Sanjay Singh, a close ally of Brij Bhushan, was chosen to lead the WFI. Last Sunday, the administration put the new committee on hold.

“If we don’t raise the voice of our daughters and such people continue to curb them, then no daughter or sister will be able to raise their concerns in the future in our country,” Bajrang said.

“What will I do with these laurels if our women and daughters are not safe? I didn’t want to leave it, Padma Shri. They are our pride, and if they are secure, our pride will emerge naturally.”

Sanjay was chosen as the WFI president on December 21 after a panel chaired by Brij Bhushan’s close aide secured 13 of the 15 positions.

The wrestlers had insisted that no one who was linked to Brij Bhushan could have an official position in the WFI.

Olympic bronze winner Sakshi Malik declared her retirement from the sport after Sanjay’s election, while World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat surrendered his Arjuna Award and Khel Ratna to the government in protest.

Wrestlers at Jantar Mantar staged a five-month-long protest headed by Bajrang, Vinesh, and Sakshi, who accused former WFI chief Brij Bhushan of sexually abusing many female grapplers.

Shortly after being chosen as the WFI President on Thursday, Sanjay Singh said that the age group national championships will take place in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, starting on December 28.

It led the Sports Ministry to urge the IOA to form an ad hoc panel to oversee the sports body’s operations and to suspend the recently elected panel for failing to make decisions in accordance with its own constitution.