Kolkata: Rooting out corrupt practices from the state sports arena and bringing glory to Bengal are his main tasks now, said Indranil Khan after becoming the minister of state (independent charge) for sports and youth affairs and consumer affairs departments on Wednesday. He emphasized that nepotism and syndicates at Maidan clubs must end.
Reopening of Messi Incident Case
Pointing out how the case in the Messi incident fiasco from December last year has now been reopened, Khan said proper attention must be given to sports management. “Under the Trinamool government, merit in several fields, including sports, took a back seat. The job now will be promoting talented sportsmen so that they can bring laurels and achieve success in international arenas. Young talents are to be promoted through regular meets,” he stated.
Focus on Football and International Aspirations
Khan said, “Even in football, our state players will have to be encouraged so that they can don the Indian Tricolour, and ultimately, India can play the World Cup. We need to ensure Bengal’s footballers are not deprived or forced to shift to other states. Our main task is to take Bengal’s sportsmen to the international level.”
The state’s primary goal is to provide world-class training and top-notch infrastructure support to help state athletes compete on international stages like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. “We would like to have tie-ups with the Sports Authority of India (SAI). Our sportsmen have great potential, which needs to be showcased at global forums. The state will provide all help,” he added.
Criticism of Previous Government
Khan claimed that the youths were turned into migrants by the previous Trinamool government and that it is now time to check the drain of talent. He reiterated his commitment to rooting out corruption and promoting merit-based selection in sports.
