BackCWG 2022: Delhi govt refuses to honour bronze medalist Divya Kakran, Here's why
The Delhi government on Thursday refused to honour Commonwealth Games 2022 winner Divya Kakran with cash reward as she represents Uttar Pradesh.
PremiumThe Delhi government on Thursday refused to honour Commonwealth Games 2022 winner Divya Kakran with cash reward as she represents Uttar Pradesh. This comes after Indian wrestler Divya Kakran accused the Delhi government of not providing any help due to which she was forced to move to Uttar Pradesh, according to news agency ANI.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj said, "She lives in Delhi, but only represented the national capital till 2016-17. CM Kejriwal called her respectfully in 2018. We have always respected her, but we cannot give her cash reward because she represented UP."
In a press conference, Divya Kakran said that she moved to Delhi in 2001 and in 2006 and started practising wrestling.
"For the last 22 years, I am putting up in Golakpur. My father somehow managed to provide me training for wrestling here. I earned money by competing with boys but the Delhi government did not provide any kind of assistance to me. My family was suffering a lot due to bad financial condition, so I went to UP. Earlier, I had won many medals for Delhi," she said.
Kakran informed that she has won 58 medals till 2017 for Delhi and only Manoj Tiwari provided her financial assistance of ₹3 lakh.
"I have received Rani Lakshmi Bai award from Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath with a cheque of ₹3,11,000," she added.
Meanwhile, BJP national spokesperson Shahzad Poonawalla called the verbal fight between the AAP government and wrestler Divya Kakran, an insult to athletes, youth, and the Tricolour.
"The players, women, and the national flag of our country have been insulted. I am placing this subject in front of everyone on behalf of the party. She (Kakran) made a mistake of telling truth to Arvind Kejriwal. Our daughter, our sister, made the country proud. Entire social media infrastructure of AAP got dominant if she spoke the truth," she said.
This war of words began after Indian wrestler Divya Kakran won bronze medal in the women's 68 kg freestyle category on August 6 and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal congratulated her.
She expressed disappointment with the Delhi government highlighting that she did not receive any help from the state, despite residing in the city for years.
"I thank Delhi CM for congratulating me on my victory. I have been living and practising in Delhi for the last 20 years, but did not receive any help from the national capital. I request you that I will be felicitated in the same manner you honour other Delhi wrestlers even if they represent other states," she tweeted.
In response to her tweet, AAP MLA Bharadwaj said, "Sister the whole country is proud of you. But I don't remember that you play for Delhi. You have always been playing for Uttar Pradesh. But the player is the country. You do not expect respect from Yogi Adityanath ji. I think the Chief Minister of Delhi will definitely listen to you."
"Maybe I am wrong, but when I searched, I found that you have always been playing for Uttar Pradesh, not from Delhi state. Today the whole country is proud of you. I pray to God that you go ahead," he further said.
Following these statements, Kakran clarified that she represented Delhi between 2011 and 2017 and also shared a photo of her certificate as proof. She also said she is also ready to share other screenshots of her 17 gold medal certificates won for the national capital, if he does not believe her.
(With ANI inputs)
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