Vinesh, Mahavir blast Haryana’s cash awards policy

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, April 19

Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat has questioned the Haryana government’s policy on rewarding athletes who won medals at the Gold Coast CWG.

The sports policy of the state has a provision that only those athletes would be rewarded who are from Haryana and represent the state in national tournaments. However, of the 22 medal-winners from Haryana at Gold Coast, 13 represent the Army, Railways or other institutional teams. 

During the Gold Coast CWG, Haryana had announced a prize of Rs 1.5 crore for gold winners, Rs 75 lakh for silver medallists and Rs 50 lakh for bronze winners belonging to the state.

But athletes who represent institutions such as the Army or Railways would be given cash prizes by these institutions; in those cases, the Haryana government has framed a policy. So, if an athlete from Haryana who represents the Railways is given Rs 50 lakh by the Railways, the Haryana government would deduct Rs 50 lakh from its own prize money of Rs 1.5 crore for that athlete. In effect, he/she would get Rs 1.5 crore.

In a series of posts on social media, Vinesh, who won gold in the 50kg wrestling event, wrote against this: “I believe that this is an unfair policy. Institutions like the Army and the Railways are central government undertakings. People from all states in our country work for these institutions. I have always identified as a Haryanvi and am proud that I am from this great state.”

Double standards?

Later, interacting with mediapersons in her native Balali village of Charkhi Dadri district, Vinesh argued that the government was adopting double standards. “When Sakshi Malik won bronze in the Olympics, the state government honoured her with prize money without any deduction even though she is an employee of the Central Government,” Vinesh said. “Now, when players have brought many medals, the state government has come up with a separate policy.”

“All of us give our all for the country. When it comes to rewarding our performances, why do we have to calculate who is giving us what?” she posted on her Twitter page.

Mahabir Singh Phogat, Vinesh’s uncle and the coach of the Phogat sisters, also termed the new proposals unfair.

“It is wrong to say that players like Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia are not from Haryana,” Phogat told The Tribune. “They were born, brought up here, and have played for the state. However, when they could not land a befitting job as per their achievements in Haryana, they prefer jobs with other organisations. What’s wrong in it? But not treating them as players from Haryana is unfair.”

“Earlier, wrestler Sushil Kumar too was also felicitated and rewarded with a cash prize by the Haryana government. So what’s wrong with honouring bona fide Haryana players?” he said. He was referring to the previous Congress-led government’s decision to honour Sushil Kumar and other players who reside in other states but had some connection to Haryana.

“If you want that top players represent Haryana in the national games, give them good jobs,” he said. “Even Geeta and Babita have become victims of politics in getting jobs in Haryana. Geeta later approached the court to get posted as a DSP in Haryana.”