AAP Leader Anurag Dhanda Slams Haryana Government Over Sports and Welfare Issues
In a scathing critique delivered in Chandigarh on Saturday, Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Anurag Dhanda launched a fierce attack on the BJP-led government in Haryana. Dhanda, who serves as the party's national media in-charge, leveled serious allegations concerning the treatment of athletes and elderly citizens in the state.
Alleged Withholding of Players' Diet Allowance
Dhanda accused the state administration of stopping the diet allowance for approximately 37,000 players who train in sports nurseries across Haryana. He stated that these payments have been withheld for the past ten months, creating significant hardship for aspiring athletes. The purpose of these sports nurseries, Dhanda emphasized, is to provide grassroots players with essential training and proper nutrition to compete at national and international levels.
"Haryana has always been the land of sports," Dhanda told mediapersons. "Most of the players who have raised the country's tricolour high in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games have come from this very soil. But today, those same players are asking whether the value of their hard work and medals is limited only to garnering applause on election platforms."
He further criticized Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, highlighting the immense sacrifices made by players and their families. "These players shed their blood and sweat on the field all day, and their parents, who earn their livelihood through hard work, strive to help them win medals," Dhanda asserted.
Additional Grievances in Sports Sector
The AAP leader revealed that the coaches responsible for training these 37,000 players have also not received their salaries for the same ten-month period. This dual financial neglect raises critical questions about the state's commitment to sports development.
Dhanda posed a poignant question to the government: "Should the players focus on arranging their meals or preparing for their sport?" He also alleged that the state government routinely closes these sports nurseries for two months every year, questioning the logic behind such a policy. "Does any athlete prepare for international medals by taking a two-month break?" he asked.
Pension Payments Suspended for Elderly
Beyond the sports arena, Dhanda slammed the ruling party for allegedly suspending pension payments to over 75,000 elderly people in Haryana. He claimed the government is citing "absurd" reasons to justify these stoppages.
One such reason, according to Dhanda, involves farmers' income calculations. "If a farmer receives Rs 1.50 lakh or Rs 2 lakh in their account for their crop, they are being told that they have an income of Rs 3 lakh and therefore, they cannot receive pension," he explained. "This means the Nayab government considers a farmer who sells crops worth Rs 3 lakh to be wealthy."
He detailed other problematic justifications being used:
- Pensions are being stopped by citing the total family income listed in the Parivar Pehchan Patra (family ID).
- Payments are halted due to minor mismatches in name, surname, or age records.
- In many instances, the entire family's income is being considered, even when the elderly person's income has no direct connection to the family's overall earnings.
"Hundreds of elderly people and women are queuing up at government offices across Haryana, asking why their pensions have been cut," Dhanda reported, painting a picture of widespread distress and bureaucratic confusion.
The allegations presented by the AAP leader suggest a pattern of financial neglect affecting two vulnerable groups in Haryana: aspiring athletes and senior citizens. The claims have ignited a political controversy, with Dhanda demanding immediate rectification from the state government.
