Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for his comments after the deaths of two young players in separate basketball pole collapse incidents in Haryana. Saini said it was unfortunate to do politics over such tragedies.
Sixteen-year-old Hardik, who had played in the national sub-junior basketball championship, died during practice session at Lakhan Majra village in Rohtak on Tuesday. In another incident, fifteen-year-old Aman, who was hurt in Bahadurgarh, died during treatment at PGIMS Rohtak on Monday.
Mann, who visited Rathi’s family in Rohtak on Thursday, raised questions about the condition of Haryana’s sports infrastructure. He said parents should not have to fear for their children’s safety on sports grounds, though he added that he was visiting “as a sports lover” and not for politics.
Responding to Mann, Saini said, “I want to tell Bhagwant Mann that it is a good thing to go and share the grief with the family, but politics should not be done in such issues.”
Speaking to mediapersons at Chandigarh Railway Station, Saini pointed to incidents in Punjab where kabaddi players were murdered and told Mann to “look within his own state” first.
Haryana’s Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam had also called Mann’s remarks during his Rohtak visit “politically motivated”. Saini said Haryana’s athletes are the pride of the state and that a full inspection of all sports infrastructure has been ordered after the two deaths.
He also reminded Mann about his and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s promise to eliminate Punjab’s drug problem within a month of taking power. “The situation is such that many youths have fallen prey to scourge,” Saini said.
Saini said that while campaigning for a bypoll in Tarn Taran, he stopped at a village where people told him they needed help to protect their children from drug addiction.
He said the AAP only makes big claims about fighting drugs, while Haryana regularly holds cyclothons, marathons and awareness drives against drug abuse.
Also Read: OPD services hit as Haryana docs go on strike
Follow us
