K'taka CM to consider rewarding hockey players

BANGALORE: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday defended the decision to reward Rs five lakh each to batsman Robin Uthappa and bowling coach B K Venkatesh Prasad following India's triumph in the Twenty20 World Cup, saying they have done the country proud by winning the title.

Responding to criticism from some hockey players, who have decided to go on fast, to protest "step-motherly" treatment meted out to them, Kumaraswamy told here that the State Government would consider rewarding national hockey players hailing from the State also.

Earlier, Hockey players lashed out at the Centre and the state governments of Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Karnataka for showering rewards on the cricketers while ignoring the achievement of the hockey team, which recently won the Asia Cup.
   
National coach Joaquim Carvalho said apart from four players, a coach and a team manager would go on "hunger strike" before the Karnataka Chief Minister's house to protest the announcement of Rs 5 lakh cash award each for the cricketers.
  
"Coach Ramesh Parameswaran, manager R K Shetty and four players (Vikram Kanth, V Raghunath, SV Sunil and Ignace Tirkey) are to go on hunger strike," he said.