BJP's Suvendu criticizes Mamata over 'lowest cash prize' for state's Olympic medal winners

BJP MP Suvendu Adhikari launched a scathing attack on West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Saturday, criticising her for awarding the lowest cash award for Olympic medal-winning athletes in comparison to other states. The BJP leader expressed disappointment and claimed that the TMC-ruled West Bengal government was 'typically' dragging its heels on the matter. Taking a jibe at CM Mamata Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikari said that those who 'misemployed' the word 'khela' and were considering marking a day to celebrate it had now offered the lowest financial award for the state's Olympic medal-winning athletes.

Suvendu Adhikari criticizes Mamata Banerjee

In a series of tweets, Suvendu wrote,  "Unfortunately the WB Govt, as usual, drags it's feet in such cause. Those who have misemployed the word #khela generously & thinking about making a memorial day out of it, are the ones who seem to have allocated the lowest cash award for Olympic medal-winning athletes of the state." (Sic.)

The BJP leader also congratulated the 119 Indian athletes who left for Tokyo Olympics 2020 and wished them luck. He wrote on Twitter, "As the Indian contingent of 119 athletes leave for Olympics #Tokyo2020, I wish them all the best. The whole nation is proud of them." He also mentioned the three Olympians from West Bengal and wrote, "Special mention to the 3 Olympians from WB:-Sutirtha Mukherjee - Table tennis, Pranati Nayak - Gymnastics, Atanu Das - Archery."

Tokyo Olympics 2020

The Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics is a multi-sport international event that will take place in Tokyo, Japan, from July 23 to August 8, 2021. The competition has been postponed until March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will not be open to overseas spectators. Despite the fact that the event has been postponed until 2021, Tokyo 2020 is being promoted and branded. The Olympic Games have been postponed and rescheduled for the first time, rather than being cancelled. Following the Olympics, the Summer Paralympics will be held between August 24 and September 5, 2021.

Picture Credit: SuvenduAdhika20/PTI/AP