Abhinav Bindra fumed in anger after Indian para-athlete forced to beg in Berlin
In an incident of government apathy, a para-athlete, Kanchanmala Pande who is well known to swim against tide was forced to beg in Berlin after running out of cash sanctioned by the government did not reach her.
The player is completely sightless.
The incident is now drawing flak on social media and India's first Olympic Gold Medalist Abhinav Bindra has also expressed his anger on the issue on micro blogging site.
He also tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel with a caption on it, “This is UNACCEPTABLE. People must be held accountable.”
*Tweet*
This is UNACCEPTABLE. People must be held accountable. @VijayGoelBJP @narendramodi https://t.co/dBIrey8TYR
— Abhinav Bindra (@Abhinav_Bindra) July 12, 2017
Talking to ANI, Pande said, "Berlin trip was sanctioned by government. The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) told us that they can't give money as their account is blocked and we've to spend our own money. They asked us to pay for our trip and said that they will reimburse it afterwards.
The PCI account is blocked due to the non-availability of court-appointed committee chairman.
Pande said even her coach didn't perform his duties and they themselves had to complete all the formality in Berlin.
"Even my entry was made into a wrong group. I checked it later on and came to know that my entry was made in a wrong group. I myself had to get it corrected," she said.
Pande said that it was coach's responsibility to arrange the travelling pass for them in Berlin, which he didn't do and because of this she even had to borrow money to pay the ticket examiner.
"I was traveling in a tram. For travelling in tram, a pass was needed which was the responsibility of my coach but he didn't do anything. I had to borrow money from fellow swimmer to pay fine to ticket examiner," she said.
After going though the trauma in a foreign country, Pande urged the Central Government to make sure such incidents are not repeated again.
-With ANI inputs.
First published: 12 July 2017, 13:10 IST