Uttarakhand government says taekwondo player’s case was misrepresented

The Uttarakhand government has clarified the facts surrounding a student of CNI Girls School who raised the issue of financial assistance for participating in an international taekwondo competition during a Yuva Samvad programme with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The clarification came after the matter was allegedly presented by some people as a case in which a government official had demanded a bribe from the student.

According to the government, the student was receiving training through the Taekwondo Council of India, a private organisation, and had been selected through the organisation to participate in an international competition. The total expenditure for participation, including travel, was estimated at around ₹3.70 lakh.

The government said the private organisation had assured the student of financial assistance of around ₹1.70 lakh. The remaining ₹1.50 lakh to ₹1.60 lakh was to be arranged by the participant. It said the student had raised the requirement for this amount before the chief minister.

The government stressed that the matter was neither related to a government official seeking money nor to any government selection process. It concerned expenses for participation in a privately organised competition through a private organisation.

Student could not explain entire matter during brief interaction

The government said the student could not explain her entire situation in detail during the interaction with the chief minister because of the limited time available. This, it said, resulted in confusion about the nature of her request.

It alleged that some political figures subsequently used the incomplete information to portray the matter as a demand for a bribe. The government said this interpretation did not correspond with the facts outlined in its clarification.

According to the statement, the financial requirement mentioned by the student was linked to the cost of participating in the international competition. The private organisation supporting her had agreed to bear a portion of the expenditure, while the remaining amount had to be arranged by the participant.

The government also emphasised that the student's selection for the competition had taken place through the Taekwondo Council of India. It said this was not a government recruitment or selection exercise and did not involve a government officer deciding whether the student could participate.

The clarification comes amid the government's effort to distinguish the student's request for financial support from the allegation of a bribe demand. It said the student's concern and sporting talent deserved to be respected, but the issue should not be presented with what it described as incorrect facts.

Government says sporting talent should not be used for political gains

The government said the student had raised a genuine concern about arranging the money required for her participation in the competition. It said the fact that she needed around ₹1.5 lakh did not mean that the amount had been demanded from her by a government official.

The statement reiterated that the estimated total cost was around ₹3.70 lakh, of which approximately ₹1.70 lakh was to be borne by the private organisation. The balance amount was the responsibility of the participant.

The government said the student's inability to explain the complete circumstances during the short interaction may have contributed to the subsequent misunderstanding. It maintained that the issue should be considered in its entirety rather than on the basis of an incomplete account.

It also said the student's sporting achievements and concerns should be treated with due respect. At the same time, it objected to what it described as an attempt to use the matter for political benefit by presenting it as a corruption or bribery case.

The government maintained that, based on the facts stated in its clarification, the matter was about meeting expenses related to an international taekwondo competition and not about any demand for money by a government official.