Harsimrat Kaur Badal lends support to World Champion Malika Handa, targets Congress

Following Seven-time national deaf Chess Champion Malika Handa’s outburst at the Punjab Government, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal has now come out in her support. Badal on Monday reacted to the incident by stating that the Punjab government have been ‘insensitive’ towards the deaf Chess player. The SAD leader called out the state’s Sports Minister and said that he had failed his duties.

Deaf Chess Champion Malika Handa on Sunday lashed out at the Punjab Government and said that it failed to fulfil the promises made to her about cash rewards and a job opportunity. Reacting to the incident, Akali Dal’s Harsimrat Kaur Badal has now attacked the Congress-led state government. “It's heartbreaking to see Pb govt's insensitivity towards 7-time nat'l deaf chess champion @MalikaHanda. Cong govt promised her a job & a cash reward but failed to deliver,” the SAD leader tweeted.  

Furthermore, Badal also called out state Sports minister Pargat Singh and said that he had failed his duties. “Sports minister @PargatSOfficial has failed the sportspersons by refusing to fulfil his govt's commitment,” she said. According to Handa, the previous Punjab government led by Captain Amarinder Singh had promised her cash rewards and a job for her achievements, but the present Sports Minister in Charanjit Singh Channi's cabinet denied her the reward.

'Congress fooled me'

Seven-time national deaf Chess Champion Malika Handa on Sunday uploaded a video attacking the state government. Expressed her frustration in a video the chess champion wrote, "I am feeling very hurt. I met Punjab Sports Minister Pargat Singh on December 31 ad he told me that the government cannot provide me a job or cash reward because they do not have a policy for deaf sports."

"Ex-sports minister had announced cash award for me and I also have a letter of invitation to a felicitation event that got cancelled due to COVID-19. When I told this to sports minister Pargat Singh, he said the announcement was made by the former government and he cannot fulfil it," she added. Handa went to blame the current Punjab government for wasting 5 years of her life and questioned why is there is no support for the deaf sport. "I am only asking why was the reward announced. I wasted 5 years on the Congress government. They fooled me. They do not care about deaf sports,” she further wrote. Handa has won the national championship seven times and also has six medals at the Asian and World Championships. 

Image: ANI/ Twitter