This is not the first time that the Haryana government has crossed swords with its athletes
The Haryana government had to beat a hasty retreat following an uproar over the controversial circular that ordered state athletes to part with one-third of their income and deposit it with the government. Chief minister ML Khattar said in a tweet said that he has asked the decision to be put on hold.
"I have asked for the relevant file of Sports Department to be shown to me and the notification dated 30th April to be put on hold till further orders," he said on the social media site. "We are proud of the immense contribution by our sportspersons & I assure them of a just consideration of all issues affecting them."
This is not the first time that the Haryana government has crossed swords with its athletes. Recently, 22 sportspersons from the state won medals at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April 2018 and the function to felicitate them was cancelled after the players threatened a walkout over the government's proposal to take a cut of their prize money.
Eminent athletes such as wrestlers Sushil Kumar, Babita Phogat and Olympic bronze-medallist Yogeshwar Dutt condemned the latest order. They said it would affect morale and performance of athletes.
Kumar said that the government should establish a committee of senior sportspersons and take their suggestions before forming such a policy. Phogat accused the government of failing to realise the hard work a sportsperson puts in. "It seems like illiterate people are making policies," she said, adding that the athletes already pay taxes on money they win in competitions.
Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Anil Vij defended the move and said it was not aimed at income generated from amateur sports "... we are talking about income from professional sports," he said, adding, "It is the government's old rule/service rule, Rule 56, as per which if any government employee generates commercial income or professional income, then he shall have to deposit one-third of such earnings."
Olympic bronze-medallist Yogeshwar Dutt was harsher in his criticism. "Their contribution to development of sports in Haryana has been zero but I am sure, they will play a big role in the decline of sports in the state," the wrestler tweeted, adding, "Now, athletes will move to other states and these officials will be responsible for it."
Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar agreed that the move will demoralise the players. The party's Rohtak MP Deepinder Singh Hooda said the present government has made a mockery of the state's athlete-friendly policy.
— with agency inputs
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