Rahul Gandhi visits akhara in Haryana, interacts with wrestler Bajrang Poonia, others. Watch

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday morning visited an "akhara" in Haryana's Jhajjar district and met a group of wrestlers including Bajrang Punia.

According to senior Haryana Congress leader from the district, Gandhi reached the "Virender Akhara" in the Chhara village early morning.

He later interacted with the wrestlers including Punia.

Following the meeting, wrestler Bajrang Punia said that Rahul Gandhi came to see their wrestling routine.

"He came to see our wrestling routine. He did wrestling. He came to see the day-to-day activities of a wrestler," said Bajrang Punia.

Meanwhile, Wrestling Coach Virendra Arya says, Nobody told us that he's coming. We were practicing here and he came all of a sudden.”

“He reached here around 6:15 am and exercised with us. He told us about his exercise and sport. He has a lot of knowledge about sports...Nationals will take place but what would be done with this issue at hand?... What could he (Rahul Gandhi) do, only the government can do something.”

Gandhi's meeting with the wrestlers comes against the backdrop of a controversy surrounding the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

Vinesh Phogat, a two-time World Championship medal winner, on Tuesday decided to return her Khel Ratna and Arjuna award to the Prime Minister, saying such honours have become meaningless when wrestlers are struggling badly for justice.

Phogat's decision comes days after Olympic medallist Punia and Deafylmpics champion Virender Singh Yadav returned their Padma Shri awards and Rio Games bronze medallist Sakshi Malik quit the sport after Sanjay Singh's election as WFI president on December 21.

Sanjay Singh is an associate of Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan and the wrestlers did not want any one close to the BJP MP entering the WFI.