A discussion on India’s preparedness for the Paris Olympics held in the Lok Sabha on July 22 set off questions from the Opposition not just on the timing of the debate (the event is to begin this Friday) but also on the controversies such as harassment allegations levelled by women wrestlers against former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
During the discussion, Congress member Deepender Hooda brought up the wrestlers’s case. Though he did not name Mr. Singh, Mr. Hooda said a situation should not arise where players have to fight their own government and the system.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who earlier held charge of the Sports Ministry, intervened to say that members should avoid raising “[sports] federation fights” in the House. He said there is bound to be politics in sports federations and such issues should not be raised in Parliament. Mr. Rijiju said no other government had done what Prime Minister Narendra Modi did for sports.
When Speaker Om Birla asked the House to take up the discussion on Olympics, RSP’s N.K. Premchandran questioned the timing and asked what suggestions could the House offer when the Indian team has already left for the event beginning July 26.
He accused the government of taking the House for granted, noting that supplementary agenda is issued to bring important legislative items.
‘₹400 crore spent’
Initiating the discussion, the BJP’s Sanjay Jaiswal hit back and said the Opposition found the discussion on sports irrelevant. He said the government invested over ₹400 crore for 16 disciplines and made all-out efforts to ensure that athletes competing in the Olympics got the best training and facilities.
Participating in the discussion, Mr. Hooda said that at this stage the House cannot offer suggestions to the squad but only offer its best wishes. He used the opportunity to hit out at the Haryana government for withdrawing facilities for medal winning athletes.
Speaker Om Birla interjected and said Mr. Hooda should remember that he was speaking in the Lok Sabha and not the Haryana Assembly.
Referring to the allegations of sexual harassment, Mr. Hooda said Ministers go to airport to get themselves clicked with athletes when they return with medals but ignore their pleas when they sit on dharna.
‘Don’t bid for Olympics’
Congress leader Karti Chidambaram urged the government not to pitch for hosting the Olympics, saying it will be a “drain”. “Please do not host the Olympics. Greece and Brazil conducted the Olympics and faced severe hardships after conducting [it]. It is a great drain,” he said. India has evinced interest to bid for the 2036 Olympics.
He suggested that the government broad-base sports participation and access to sports facilities. “Make sports a compulsory subject in board exams and make sure that participation in sports is compulsory. Until and unless sports is compulsory in this educational system, which is so examination-oriented, it is very difficult to broad-base sports,” he added.
Former Test cricketer and Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad raised the issue of poor facilities for sports other than cricket, while his party colleague and fellow cricketer Yusuf Pathan nodded in agreement.
