BJP lashes out at MVA, Sharad Pawar for parking cars at athletic track in Pune sports complex

The ruling tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) authorities in Maharashtra confronted criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which accused State Ministers in addition to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar of utilizing a sports track at Pune’s Shree Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex for parking their cars throughout a assessment assembly on Sunday.

After Pune BJP MLA Siddharth Shirole posted photos taken from a vernacular information report of the MVA leaders parking their automobiles on the track, the incident drew flak from different BJP leaders, together with Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju.

Mr. Pawar, a former president of the Indian Olympics Association (IOA), had visited the sports complex at Balewadi together with Maharashtra Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Sunil Kedar and Minister of State Aditi Tatkare to assessment a venture.

“I’m personally very sad to see such disrespect for sports and sporting ethics in our country,” mentioned Mr. Rijiju, whereas quoting Mr. Shirole’s tweet on the incident.

The nation lacked in adequate sports services and all sports centres wanted correct care, he mentioned.

‘Grievous insult’

Demanding an unconditional apology from the MVA management, Mr. Shirole, the legislator from Pune’s Shivajinagar constituency, mentioned that changing a racetrack that was nearly honored by athletes was “a grievous insult to their sensibilities” whereas chastising Mr. Kedar for taking the matter extraordinarily frivolously.

“The incident is just one more proof of the sheer insensitivity of this government … Despite knowing that there was an elevator, the Ministers callously parked their SUVs on a ₹5-crore athletic track and turning it into a VVIP parking lot. It is one thing for the State Sports Commissioner [Om Prakash Bakoria] to apologise for this disgraceful act, but when will the high and mighty of the MVA government apologise to the athletic community for disrespecting and defiling their hallowed ground with such a brazen misuse of power,” mentioned Mr. Shirole.

Accusing the MVA leaders of providing “lame excuses”, he additional mentioned that not even a single automobile must have been allowed on the track.

Mr. Shirole mentioned that Mr. Pawar, who headed a number of sports associations and committees in the previous, “ought to have known better”.

Following the backlash, State sports authorities, together with Mr. Bakoria and Pune administration officers, got here out with apologies.

Authorities mentioned that as Mr. Pawar had issues strolling, he was allowed to park his automobile on the cement track. They additional mentioned that just one automobile was to be parked on the cement concrete street close to the track — that of the NCP chief, who had requested for permission to take action due to an issue in his leg. The different automobiles had reportedly parked with out permission and remained parked till the assembly ended.

“Mr. Pawar had an issue with his leg…if he was taken from another side of the building, he would have to climb two to three staircases. Hence, only his vehicle was allowed on the cemented track and the security on duty were informed the same as well. But unfortunately, the vehicles came in a row and parked there. On behalf of the sports department, I apologise and assure that such an incident will not be repeated again,” Mr. Bakoria mentioned.