After Shooting sensation Manu Bhaker on Friday reminded Haryana Government and the State’s Sports Minister Anil Vij of the promised cash reward not being granted to her even after three months of Youth Olympic Games 2018, Vij in his defense said that Bhaker should have come to the sports department before going public.
“Manu Bhaker should have first confirmed it from the Sports Deptt. before going to public domain. It is disgusting to denounce a State Govt which is giving highest awards in the Country. Bhaker will will will get 2 crores as tweated by me and as per notification at that time (sic),” he said.
Manu Bhaker should have first confirmed it from the Sports Deptt. before going to public domain. It is disgusting to denounce a State Govt which is giving highest awards in the Country. Bhaker will will will get 2 crores as tweated by me and as per notification at that time.
— ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) January 5, 2019
There should be some sense of decipline in players. Bhaker should feel sorry for creating this controversy. She has a long way to go. She should focus on her game only.
— ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) January 5, 2019
In October 2018, Manu Bhaker had become the first Indian shooter to win a gold at the Youth Olympic Games when she clinched a gold medal in the 10m air pistol category. After her historic win, Haryana Sports Minister Anil Vij announced a cash prize of Rs 2 crore to Bhaker.
However, in less than three months after she was promised Rs 2 Crore cash reward, the state government’s December 27 notification on “Cash awards to sportspersons in individual events”, mentioned the award money as Rs 1 crore. The notification was issued by Haryana’s Principal Secretary (sports) Ashok Khemka.
On Friday, after Bhaker reminded the minister of the promise he had made. The shooter also felt that someone in the Haryana government has been playing “games” with the money that was to be awarded to the medallists, following which the state government’s flip-flops on the issue came to the fore.
Attaching a copy of the December 27 notification, Manu Bhaker tweeted, “Someone in Haryana is really playing with Youth Olympic Games prize! It is really for encouraging or disheartening players…”
As per the reports, Vij claimed that he was unaware of the revised notification. When brought to his notice, he maintained that the reward money had not been reduced. “Somebody is playing mischief. The award money has not been reduced…” said Vij.
Some one in Haryana is really playing with Youth Olympic games cash prize!!!!! @narendramodi @mlkhattar @anilvijminister @Ra_THORe @AshokKhemka_IAS … Is it really for encouraging or disheartening players. which one is correct… pic.twitter.com/adIsfttId7
— Manu Bhaker (@realmanubhaker) January 4, 2019
Later in the day, responding to Manu Bhaker’s tweet, Ashok Khemka tweeted, “The Haryana Government has enhanced cash prize for Youth Olympics Gold by 10 times. It was 10 lakh earlier, now it is 100 lakh. One crore prize money in an under-18 sports event is good encouragement and is unmatched anywhere else.”
Bhaker had a phenomenal year in 2018 when she won the Commonwealth Games gold in Gold Coast, a month after winning gold in the 10m air pistol individual and team events at the ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara, which was her maiden appearance in a senior meet.
