PUBG in India: IOA Chief denies giving recognition to banned game in response to NCPCR

Responding to a letter from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief Narinder Batra on Thursday stated that the sports body has not given any recognition to the popular game PUBG. The letter was sent on June 14 by NCPCR to both IOA and the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) over the accessibility of banned apps by minors in India. The Child Rights body is seeking a response in cognizance of the horrifying incident wherein a 16-year-old from Uttar Pradesh killed his mother who prevented him from playing the game.

IOA's Batra denies giving recognition to PUBG

"No, IOA does not give any kind of recognition which is against the country and the law. We don't allow them to promote any kind of violent games", IOA Chief Batra told news agency ANI. "Yes, it is true that ESports came to us, but we haven't given them any recognition." Meanwhile, NCPCR Chief Priyank Kangoogo also spoke to ANI, wherein he stated that a detailed response is being expected from the IOA. 

"If they claim they haven't given recognition to PUBG, then they have to brief us in a written manner. We also want an answer from the IT Ministry", Kangoogo was quoted as saying by ANI. "These kinds of games should be banned as they make our children violent. This is a very serious issue which should be dealt with carefully".

As mentioned earlier, the debate over banned apps still being downloaded in India was fuelled after a teen in Uttar Pradesh killed his mother last week when she tried to stop him from playing PUBG. In the wake of the unfortunate incident, the NCPCR took suo moto cognizance under section 13 (1) (J) Of Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005 which states deprivation and violation of child rights.

Notably, Kangoogo has also sought a list of the banned games which are presently being used by minors along with their regulating bodies and their regulating mechanism within 10 days of receiving the letter.

Minor shoots mother over PUBG

The incident is dated June 8 when the boy shot her mother and locked the dead body inside a room for two days. According to Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Qasim Abidi, the boy threatened her nine-year-old sister against telling anyone and was using a room freshener to hide the smell of the decomposed body. However, after weaving false stories about her mother's death, he finally revealed the truth to his father, an Army personnel posted in West Bengal.