Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia slammed the Haryana government.After receiving multiple complaints about the state government’s policy on cash prizes, Haryana sports minister Anil Vij said that their government never disrespected any athletes. Haryana wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, however, took to Twitter and slammed Vij and the government for ‘humiliating’ them.
While Punia said that if the government couldn’t stick to its promises, athletes would stop believing them, Asian Games medal-winning wrestler Phogat went on to say that no athlete in the state, whether small or big, is happy with their policy.
“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,” Vij was quoted as saying by ANI.
As reported by the Indian Express, Haryana’s new sports policy says, “In case a sportsperson wins more than one medal during a financial year, he/she will receive full award money for the highest medal and at 50 percent of the award money for the second and subsequent medals.”
The Haryana government had cancelled the cash awards function for 3000 state players and had informed the athletes that their money would reach their bank accounts by June 25.
On Tuesday, Punia, who is the world number one wrestler and Asian Games champion, tweeted about the deduction in prize money.
“When you promise athletes prizes then you’re not catering to their greed but are promising to support them. If you can’t fulfil your promises then no athlete will have any hopes from you in the future,” he tweeted, tagging the Chief Minister and the sports minister.
Meanwhile, Phogat tagged Vij in a tweet and said, “Dear Sir, when you came five years ago, you swore that you would neither let the players quit nor let the honour of the players in Haryana go down. Whether the player is small or big, no player is happy with your policy today.”
“Every time you try right to get on the nerves of the players. I have never seen such an insulting government till date who insults its own players. I want to ask you how many players have you given the prize money and jobs to,” Phogat said. “I request the Haryana Government to take back the money. Don’t let the players stand on your political akhada and humiliate them.”
“On the one hand, the Prime Minister of our country says, “The game will go ahead only then the country will move forward and there is a Government of Haryana which is leaving no stone unturned to politicise sports and destroy them completely. Will such a country move forward?” she added.
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!@anilvijminister @mlkhattar pic.twitter.com/CxX7JK9Ez1
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) 26 June 2019
प्रिय सर लगता है जब आज से पाँच साल पहले आप लोग आए थे तो यह क़सम ख़ाके आए थे हरियाणा में ना तो खिलाड़ी छोड़ने हैं ना ही उनका मान- सम्मान। चाहे वो खिलाड़ी छोटा हो चाहे बड़ा हो, आज कोई भी खिलाड़ी आपकी पॉलिसी से ख़ुश नहीं है। @anilvijminister @cmohry https://t.co/nvbRIFDE2k
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) 25 June 2019
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) 25 June 2019
मेरी हरियाणा सरकार से गुजारिश है कि आप अपना दीये हुए धन राशि को वापस ले जाए। इस तरह खिलाड़ियों को आप अपने राजनीतिक अखाड़े पर खड़ा करके उन्हें अपमानित न करें। @mlkhattar @anilvijminister
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) 26 June 2019
एक तरफ़ तो हमारे देश के प्रधानमंत्री जी कहते हैं खेल आगे बढ़ेगा तभी देश आगे बढ़ेगा और एक हमारी हरियाणा की सरकार है जो खेलों में राजनीति करके उनको पूरी तरह ख़त्म करने की कोई कोर-कसर नहीं छोड़ रही है। क्या ऐसे ही देश आगे बढ़ेगा??? @PMOIndia @narendramodi @mlkhattar @anilvijminister
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) 26 June 2019
In the CWG held at Australia last year, Haryana had won one-third of India’s medals with a total of 22 medals out of 66 medals won. In the Asian Games held in Indonesia, Haryana players accounted for 17 medals out of 61 medals bagged by the country.
Players like Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Neeraj Chopra had won gold medals in both the events apart from some other players like shooter Sanjeev Rajput.
