Congress leader
Rahul Gandhi took to Instagram on Monday to hit out at political leaders
rushing to congratulate athletes for their performances at the recently-concluded
Tokyo Olympics. Citing media reports that some Indian athletes, including
those who represented and won medals for India on the Olympics stage, are yet
to receive cash rewards for winning other competitions.
Writing in
Hindi, Gandhi said, “Along with congratulations, players should also get their
dues…not cuts in sports budgets.” “Enough with the video calls,” he added.
Gandhi’s
post is being seen in political circles as a dig at Prime Minister Narendra
Modi who called up several athletes after their Olympic medal wins. Prime
Minister Modi had spoken over the phone to Indian men’s hockey team captain
Manpreet Singh and javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra following their respective
victories.
In his
Instagram post, Gandhi attached a screenshot of Times Of India report which
spoke of athletes waiting years for cash rewards promised to them.
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Gandhi’s
post also featured screenshots of tweets made in 2019 by Olympic gold-medallist
Neeraj Chopra and bronze-winner Bajrang Punia.
Bronze-winning
wrestler Bajrang Punia had tweeted in 2019: “When you promise rewards to the
players, then you promise to support the players, and not the greed of money,
but the players. If you can’t fulfill your promise then what should any player
expect from you in future!”
Punia’s
tweet, in which Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij
were tagged featured a screenshot of a 2018 tweet by Home Minister Vij that
promised Rs 3 crore as cash reward for Punia for a winning gold medal at the
Asian Games held that year.
At the 2018
Asian Games, Bajrang Punia had defeated Daichi Takatani of Japan in the final
of men’s freestyle wrestling in the 65kg category.
Neeraj
Chopra had also tweeted in Punia’s support.
Gandhi’s
criticism comes as state governments across the country rush to congratulate
Olympian athletes and announcing massive cash prizes for them.
While Neeraj
Chopra has been promised Rs 6 crore by the Haryana government while Bajrang
Punia has been promised Rs 2.5 crore as have been the members of the bronze-winning
men’s hockey team who are from the state.
