Ashoka Pillar replica in Y’nagar village soon

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Yamunanagar, September 4

Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju laid the foundation stone of Ashoka Pillar’s replica in Topra Kalan village of Yamunanagar district on Wednesday.

This replica would be constructed by the Haryana Tourism Department with the help of Topra Kalan panchayat and the NGO Buddhist Forum.

The height of the replica would be 50 feet. There would be seven sets of inscriptions in the Brahmi script. The capital of the pillar would have 32 spokes of Dharam Chakra.

After laying the foundation stone, Rijiju said Topra Kalan might be developed as a tourist destination. He said he had come to Haryana several times, but came to Topra Kalan village for the first time.

“I am happy to see development works undertaken in Haryana. Other states should follow Haryana’s model of development,” said Rijiju.

As per Buddhist Forum general secretary Sidhartha Gauri, construction work of the replica was expected to be completed in nine months.

He said the forum, with the help of the government, had been developing Ashoka Edicts Park over 27 acres of panchayat land in Topra Kalan village with an aim of reviving ancient Buddhist heritage and attracting spiritual tourism from across the world.

“In this park, we have already installed India’s biggest Ashoka Chakra with a diameter of 30 feet in January 2019 and a Chhatravali in May 2019,” said Sidhartha.

He said Emperor Ashoka had installed a pillar in Topra Kalan village about 2,300 years ago. He said as per historian Shams-i-Siraj, Feroz Shah Tughlaq had taken the pillar to Delhi in the 14th century. He said the pillar stood on the rooftop of ancient three-storey building at Kotla in Delhi.

Minister of State for Jal Shakti Rattan Lal Kataria, Assembly Speaker Kanwar Pal Gurjar, Kurukshetra Member of Parliament Nayab Singh Saini and Radaur MLA Shyam Singh Rana were present.

Honour for medallists
Tribune News Service

Sonepat, September 4

Union Minister of State for Sports Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said sportspersons winning medals in international events would be paid their prize money soon after their return.

He was interacting with mediapersons during an inspection of Sports Authority of India centre at Bahalgarh in the district. “An updated sports policy will be introduced soon for promoting sports and sportspersons,” he disclosed.

Stressing the need for developing sports culture in the country to provide career opportunities to sportspersons in government and private sectors, he suggested availing the services of retired sportspersons in coaching.

In reply to a question on promoting sports in high-altitude areas, he said the Union Sports Ministry had decided to develop a synthetic track in Ladakh at a height of more than 12,000 feet. “A decision has been taken to give recognition to ice hockey and open an archery academy in Ladakh,” he added.

“A meeting of sports ministers of states will be convened soon to have an update on sports facilities and seek their opinion on developing new sports facilities in the country,” he said. He praised Haryana for being a leading state in sports activities.