Indian Athletes take to Twitter to protest against State Govt. Policies

International athletes from the northern state of Haryana lashed out at the Manohar Lal Khattar government for disrespecting the sports fraternity by failing to formally felicitate the athletes. Moreover, the government has further announced a significant cut in their prize money. 

The state of affairs was brought to light by on Wednesday, after 2018 Asian Games Gold medallist and renowned wrestler Bajrang Punia took to Twitter to hit out at the state government. He said that the laurel winning wrestlers from Haryana not only represented the state but also the entire country and that such acts at the hands of the government will only break the athletes’ morale. 

“The youths from Haryana have given such splendid medals to the state. Even if the state is a bit small, athletes from the state have made India proud all over the world. Their morale should not be broken by cutting down the prize money given to them. I urge the Haryana government to rethink on the decision,” Bajrang Punia said in the tweet. 

हरियाणा के युवाओं ने देश को कइ बेहतरीन मेडल दिए है।भले ही एक छोटा सा राज्य है हरियाणा,पर यहां के खिलाड़ियों ने पूरे देश को कइ बार गर्वित किया है।उनको मिलने वाली राशि में कटौती करके उनके मनोबल को न तोड़ा जाए।मेरी हरियाणा सरकार से विनती है कि इस निर्णय पर दोबारा विचार करे@mlkhattar

— Bajrang Punia ?? (@BajrangPunia) June 25, 2019

जब खिलाड़ीयो को आप पुरस्कार का वायदे करते है तब ऊन खिलाड़ीयो को आप ने पैसे का लालच नहीं बल्कि खिलाड़ियों का साथ देने का वायदा करते हैं । अगर आप अपने किये वायदे को पूरा नहीं कर सकते तो फिर भविष्य मे कोई भी खिलाड़ी आप से किस बात की उम्मीद रखें[email protected] @mlkhattar pic.twitter.com/CxX7JK9Ez1

— Bajrang Punia ?? (@BajrangPunia) June 26, 2019

Vinesh Phogat and Neeraj Chopra Come out in Bajrang’s Support

To further add weight to the matter, 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Vinesh Phogat also took to Twitter to blame Haryana Sports Minister Anil Vij. In the tweet, she said that the government has indeed made its mind to disrespect the athletes.

“Dear sir, it seems like you had decided five years ago when you came to power that neither you will leave any athlete in Haryana, nor their respect. Be it a small or a big athlete, none of the athletes is happy with your policies,” Vinesh Phogat’s tweet read.

She followed with another tweet, attacking Anil Vij and CM Khattar by saying that she has never seen such lack of respect of the state’s athletes.

“Every time you try to disrespect the athlete. I have never seen such government which disrespects athletes in Haryana. I want to ask the government how many athletes have been given the prize money or have been given job,” she tweeted.

हर बार आप यहीं कोशिश में रहते हैं कैसे खिलाड़ियों को परेशान किया जाए।मैंने आज तक हरियाणा में खिलाड़ियों का इतना अपमान करने वाली सरकार नहीं देखी है। मैं पूछना चाहतीं हूँ आपसे आपने आज तक कितने खिलाड़ियों को प्राइज़ मनी और जॉब देने का काम किया है। @cmohry @anilvijminister

— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) June 25, 2019

2018 Asian Games gold medalist and Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra too asked the government to award the athletes with the promised sum so that they would be able to focus on the game.

ओर आपने जो खिलाड़ियों को इनाम राशि देने का वादा किया था कृपया उसे पूरा करे ताकि हम इन चीज़ों से ध्यान हटा के अपना पूरा focus आने वाले Olympic खेलो पर लगा सके ओर अपने देश व राज्य का नाम रोशन कर सके ?

— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) June 26, 2019

Sports Minister’s Reply

The athletes from Haryana are protesting against the state government‘s negligent policies on sports. These include chopping off the prize money and not providing employment to the medalists. Last week, the Government also canceled out a state-level function to award the sportspersons and instead decided to transfer the cash prize directly into their respective bank accounts. The athletes who won medals at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Para Games during 2016 and 2019 were to be honoured at the function.

In reply to the star wrestler’s tweets, sports Minister of Haryana, Anil Vij, said that the government never disrespected sportspersons. ” On the basis of sports policy prize money has been distributed. If there is some discrepancy they can speak to the department. We have never disrespected our sportspersons,” he said.

Update

Bajrang Punia has tweeted more Tweets on the government’s failure to support athletes of the country.

एक तरफ भारत सरकार अपने खिलाड़ियों को प्रोत्साहित करने के लिए TOPS,KHELO INDIA जैसे विभिन्न स्किम बना रहे है ताकि भारत का खेल जगत में नाम रोशन हो । दूसरी तरफ हरियाणा में खिलाड़ियों को हतोत्साहित करने का षड्यंत्र रचा जा रहा है ताकि खिलाड़ी घुटने के बल पर आ जाए।@narendramodi @cmohry

— Bajrang Punia ?? (@BajrangPunia) June 27, 2019

घुटने के बल पर खड़ा होकर देश कि जिम्मेदारी नहीं उठायी जाएगी साहब। यह सम्मानित करने का मृगतृष्णा दिखाकर हमें और दिशा भ्रमित न करें। हम खिलाड़ी भले ही सिधे-साधे लोग हैं पर हमे बेवकूफ साबित करने की कोशिश न करें। @mlkhattar @anilvijminister

— Bajrang Punia ?? (@BajrangPunia) June 27, 2019