Former Puducherry CM Narayanasamy Condemns Renaming Khel Ratna Award

The prime minister announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award will now be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award on Friday

Former Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy. (image: PTI)

Puducherry: Former chief minister of Puducherry and senior congress leader V Narayanasamy condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move to rename Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. 

Earlier on Friday, the prime minister announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award will now be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award and the move was made respecting the sentiments of citizens across the country. In a tweet, he said, “Major Dhyan Chand was among India’s foremost sportspersons who brought honour and pride for India. It is fitting that our nation’s highest sporting honour will be named after him.” 

The award was named after former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991-92 and several players including Sachin Tendulkar, Vishwanath Anand and Pullela Gopichand were bestowed with the award. It is the highest sporting honour in the country. 

Following the announcement, opposition and displeasure had risen from several quarters especially from Congress supporters. Narayanasamy said former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had taken several measures to reach sports among people from rural and tribal areas and as a result, many from rural areas are shining in multiple sports including archery and wrestling. 

He encouraged sports among people and that’s why the award was named after him, he said. 

Pointing out that several streets and government buildings were named after departed BJP leaders during former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s period, he said that the names of streets and government buildings were not renamed during the Congress period and that was their decorum. 

“What is the need to change the name of the award now? The move shows nothing but Modi’s hatred towards Congress leaders and it is not a political decorum. He will face the consequences through Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi had sacrificed himself for the unity of the country. The act humiliates his sacrifice,” he added.

(With inputs from ABP Nadu — It is a Tamil platform of ABP News. For more news, commentary and latest happenings from Tamil Nadu, follow https://tamil.abplive.com/)