An Indian athlete’s javelin throw has won a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics. Neeraj Chopra, the proud son of a farmer, created history with this gold medal, the first in Tokyo Olympics and the second for India in the history of Olympics itself. This momentous win that needs to be celebrated is a joyous as well as a sad occasion. It is at the same time embarrassing that a country such as India boasting enormous human resources could garner only two gold medals when several poor countries in the world have bagged gold medals by the dozens and are celebrating. It is also true that the talented Indian youth are winning these medals for the country by overcoming all obstacles that the politicization of sports has created for them. While Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Mirabai Chanu won silver medals in wrestling and weightlifting respectively, P.V. Sindhu in badminton, Lovlina Borgohain in women’s boxing, and Bajarang Punia in wrestling were the bronze medal winners besides the Indian men’s hockey team that created history. The performance of the women’s hockey team won the hearts of Indians even in their defeat. The achievement of the athletes assumes even more significance in the light of the neglect that Indian athletics faces by both the administration and the people alike. These athletes who faced all odds and emerged successful are similar to the flowers blooming in fire. 

The developments that followed the victory of these athletes is true to the popular saying: ‘Success has many fathers, while failure is an orphan.’  Politicians are trying to gain mileage out of the success of these medal winning athletes. At the same time, their achievements are also being projected as that of the government. While on the one hand, the Prime Minister is playing political dramatics on the pretext of congratulating the athletes, on the other hand, fake screenshots are being shared as though the Prime Minister himself participated in the Olympics and won medals! Fake news is being peddled to make it sound that Prime Minister Modi is responsible for the achievements of the athletes. While congratulating the hockey team, Modi issued several unnecessary political statements and used the occasion to hurl allegations against the Opposition. This is nothing but an insult to sporting ethics. Sports is beyond caste, religion, and politics. Politicians, who refuse to understand this, try to intervene and project the achievements of sportsmen as their own. 

Instead of trying to share the glory of sportspersons, the least those who govern us can do is to introspect on what exactly is their contribution towards this success.. If the Modi government had announced programmes, grants, or special gifts to encourage athletics as these young men and women were toiling to make it to the Olympics, at least then the government’s attempt to politicize their achievement could have made some sense. Forget providing additional grants, the government even reduced sports budget by Rs 230 crore. It also cut by Rs 232 crore the grants under ‘Khelo India.’ Also, it cut by 50 per cent the grants given for the national sports development. It also reduced grants to modernize the Commonwealth Games Stadium from Rs 75 crore to Rs 30 crore. Ironically, at the same time, it spent a lot of money for the development of the world’s largest cricket stadium in Gujarat and the credit for giving the stadium his own name should go to Prime Minister Modi. He is now facing a lot of criticism for trying to project in the media as though he participated in the Olympics and won medals. 

It is disappointing if an analysis is made about how the javelin section that got India its gold was encouraged by the system. Coach Uwe Hohn had expressing his outrage about the lack of encouragement in June last year. He had issued a public statement that ‘the country’s sports associations have completely failed to adequately prepare the  athletes who are participating in the Olympics. It has not been possible to provide the required nutrition for its athletes.’ He said: ‘I am not sure if the sports associations are negligent about this or if they are not even aware about these aspects. When I came here to take on this assignment, I was confident that I would be able to bring about some change. But now I don’t think it’s possible,’. When Hohn issued this statement, nobody could have predicted that our athlete Chopra would bag the gold medal. After winning the medal, he has been flooded with gifts galore. While several states announced cash awards, several organizations have come forward to indulge him with gifts perhaps to gain publicity. It is heartening to see this but more than the encouragement an athlete receives after winning, he needs to be encouraged in his journey towards victory. While the government gifts Rs 1 crore to those who have won a gold medal, the same government is not willing to spend the same amount to prepare these athletes to win.  

This is similar to the mindset of a farmer who adds manure to coconut trees if the trees give good yield whereas the trees need good manure, water, and nourishment from the beginning to be able to give good yield. India is a country of a rough terrain with hills and rocks. It is a country of hardworking people who struggle and toil hard. In such a country, it is easy to create athletes. But this process  should start from the ground level by identifying suitable persons and cleansing the sports sector of politics. It is not possible to expect good yields tomorrow by sowing seeds today. Long-term programmes should be designed. Athletes are born in poor families where children struggle because of malnutrition. If children grow without nutritious food, how can they achieve anything in the future? Talented athletes should be identified in childhood itself and nurtured from young age. Only then can politicians stake claim in their achievements. 

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New Delhi (PTI): AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday responded to the Election Commission notice over his claim the Haryana government was "mixing poison" in Yamuna, and said raw water received from the BJP-ruled state in the recent past has been "highly contaminated and extremely poisonous" for human health.

In the 14-page reply to the Election Commission, the former Delhi chief minister said if such "toxic water" is allowed to be consumed by human population it would lead to grave health hazard and fatality.

Kejriwal said he only wanted to highlight the "urgent public health crisis" due to the quality of drinking water in the city, and he violated no law or Model Code of Conduct, hence the issue should be closed.

He said the "alleged statements" attributed to him were made as it was his public duty to red flag the "severe toxicity and contamination" of raw water received from the BJP-ruled state.

Following a complaint filed by the BJP over the matter, the Election Commission issued the notice to Kejriwal on Tuesday, giving him time till Wednesday 8 pm to furnish his reply.

Kejriwal also said the ammonia level in raw water received from Haryana was so "extreme" that water treatment plants in Delhi are unable to process and bring it down to safe and permissible limits for human consumption.

Following their party chief's response, the AAP issued a statement, saying, "It is an undisputed fact that there is 7 ppm ammonia in Yamuna water, A Delhi Jal Board CEO letter admits toxicity is 700 percent higher than the permissible limit."

In his response to the EC, Kejriwal also alleged that Haryana's "failure" in controlling pollution in Yamuna has resulted in an "unprecedented public health crisis" in Delhi. He alleged "indiscriminate" discharge of industrial waste in the river by the state.

The AAP supremo said Haryana is an upper-riparian state and Delhi, ruled by his party, has no role to play in the high level of toxic water being made available to the city.

"Due to such high level of toxic content in the raw water supplied by Haryana, the water treatment plants in Delhi are operating below capacity and there is a shortage of treated water in Delhi," he claimed.

Saying that access to clean water is a basic human right, the AAP chief asserted that raising this critical issue cannot be considered an offence.

"The said statement by no stretch of the imagination can be termed inciting enmity between different groups or prejudicial to national integration," he said.

On the contrary, the substance and purpose of these statements are rooted solely in the public interest, aimed at highlighting a legitimate civic concern that requires urgent institutional intervention, he asserted.

He requested the EC to intervene in the matter and issue appropriate directions to Haryana so safe water is made available to the people of Delhi.