New Delhi: Shooter Manu Bhaker has reminded Haryana Sports Minister Anil Vij of Rs 2 Crore cash award promise made after the former won a gold medal in Youth Olympics, via a tweet on Friday, January 4.
Bhaker (16), who hails from Goria village in Jhajjar, drew everybody’s attention with her stunning exploits in shooting ranges across the world, winning multiple gold medals in her maiden senior World Cup, Commonwealth Games, and by winning the top prize at the Youth Olympics last October.
After Bhaker had become the first Indian shooter to win gold at Youth Olympics, Anil Vij had tweeted, “Congratulations to Manu Bhaker for winning shooting gold in Youth Olympics.”
“Haryana government will give a cash prize of Rs 2 Crore to Manu Bhaker for winning this gold. Previous governments used to pay Rs 10 Lakh only.”
Bhaker posted screenshots of Anil Vij’s tweet in which he had promised her cash award to the tune of Rs 2 Crore on behalf of the state government and tweeted, “Sir Please confirm if it is correct… Or just Jumla (sic).”
In response, Anil Avij tweeted, “Manu Bhaker should have first confirmed it from the Sports Dept. before going to public domain. It is disgusting to denounce a State Govt which is giving highest awards in the Country. Bhaker will will will get 2 crores as tweated by me and as per notification at that time (sic),” he said.
Hours later, Vij tweeted that the reward money will be disbursed this month.
Later, Vij tweeted that the reward money will be disbursed in January.
Bhaker feels that someone in the Haryana government has been playing games with the money that was to be awarded to the medallists.
As per the state government’s changed policy, which came into effect before the Youth Olympics, Rs 2 crore was marked for the gold medallists, Rs 1.25 crore for silver medallists and Rs 80 lakh for the bronze winners. Before that, the YOG medallists would get Rs 10 lakh, Rs 7.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh in descending order.
However, the government again revised its policy last December and brought the amount down to Rs 1 crore for gold, Rs 65 lakh for silver and Rs 40 lakh for the bronze medallists.
