Bajrang Punia criticizes Haryana government for their failure to reward Deepak Punia
Ace Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia has slammed the state government for their lack of encouragement towards junior wrestlers, after Deepak Punia returned with a gold medal from the junior championships. The state government stated that they would stick to the policy that was made last year.
18-year-old Deepak was sensational as he became the first Indian wrestler in 18 years to clinch a junior world title. He won in the 86kg category at the Junior World Wrestling Championships in Talinn, Estonia, and got ample support from senior partner Bajrang, who criticized the government for not helping the junior wrestler monetarily.
"Senior wrestlers' prize money has already been deducted. Now how long will a junior wrestler have to wait to get some encouragement from the government? Does a junior wrestler wait to turn into a senior before getting rewarded by the government," Bajrang said in a tweet.
Not only that, but the senior wrestler also asked the government to remove disparity in the cash rewards awarded to sportspersons in junior and senior categories.
"The colour of the medal is the same. The medal has been won for India. And yet there is discrimination in what athletes in the senior category get and what the junior and cadet players get," Bajrang added addressing Haryana sports minister Anil Vij in his tweet.
While Deepak Punia would be getting Rs 6 lakh 65 thousand for his junior Worlds gold as per the revised Haryana sports policy which came into effect in September last year, he was supposed to get Rs 10 lakh for his achievement. Compared to that, a gold medal in the senior world championship would be awarded by Rs 20 lakh from the government.
While Anil Vij could not be reached, Haryana government's director of sports, Bhupinder Singh said, "There is no special reward (for Deepak Punia) as such. He will get the amount that has been earmarked under the state's sports policy. We will try and disburse the amount in the next financial year," reported TOI.
"But for that he has to apply, fill out the requisite form mentioning in it all what he has won and achieved in a year. We then review the application and accordingly money is given," added Singh.
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