Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda Slams BJP Govt After Players' Deaths, Seeks Rs 1-Crore Aid, Govt Jobs

Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda launched a blistering attack on the BJP-led Haryana government Thursday, alleging that "collapsed and neglected" sports infrastructure directly caused recent deaths of two basketball players during practice sessions in Rohtak and Bahadurgarh. Speaking at party leader Yogender Rana's residence in Karnal, Hooda demanded Rs 1 crore compensation and government jobs for bereaved families.

Not Accidents, But Criminal Negligence 

"The players did not die in a road accident but lost their lives due to dilapidated sports infrastructure, for which the government must be held accountable," Hooda emphasized, rejecting characterization of the deaths as accidental. He demanded criminal negligence charges against officials who failed to utilize Rs 18.5 lakh he had sanctioned from his MPLADS fund for stadium maintenance. The MP dismissed the Sports Minister's visit to victim families as "nothing but formality, without a single concrete announcement."

Congress Legacy vs BJP Neglect

Hooda contrasted the current situation with the Congress government's record, noting they constructed 481 sports stadiums in rural and urban areas named after Rajiv Gandhi. "Instead of allocating adequate funds for maintenance, it is unfortunate that the Government of India has allocated only Rs 80 crore from its Rs 3,500 crore sports budget to Haryana, a state known as a mine of sports. This is an insult to the athletes and medals of our state."

He accused the government of ignoring repeated concerns about deteriorating facilities despite pointed questions raised in various forums. "The CM must take responsibility for this negligence and provide justice to these families," Hooda insisted.

Systematic Undermining of Sports

The MP catalogued what he termed systematic neglect of athletes under BJP rule. "During the Congress government's tenure, the 3% sports quota in Group C and D was abolished. Players were denied promotions and cash awards from 2021 onwards," he stated, noting that Congress governments provided cash awards even to junior, sub-junior, and youth game players.

Hooda characterized Haryana's sports framework as "destroyed in the past 11 years," claiming the state received the lowest Khelo India allocation among 28 states despite producing the highest number of medals—a disparity he termed inexplicable given Haryana's athletic achievements.

Commonwealth Games Controversy

The MP questioned allowing Gujarat to host events for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in India. "If merit mattered, Haryana should have been chosen. Gujarat's name seems to have emerged from a slip, not merit," he asserted, arguing the Games should be hosted in NCR states or Haryana and Punjab, "which have a long contribution in sports medals." This criticism reflects broader concerns about political favoritism overriding merit-based decisions in sports infrastructure allocation.