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BJP pledges face-lift for Indian sports

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday promised to change the 'face of Indian sports' if voted to power.

Olympian Ajit Pal Singh, former Test cricketer Kirti Azad and BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra jointly told mediapersons in New Delhi that the party would set up an Indian Sports Service on the pattern of the civil services. It would also have a youth-cum-sports commission.

Professor Malhotra, convener of the committee which drafted the sports and youth policy in the BJP manifesto, asserted that his was the only party which has categorically identified sports for a major improvement.

Kirti Azad and Ajit Pal Singh said 'Indian sports has touched its nadir because no government has taken it seriously. But the BJP is determined to make it a force to reckon with in the world arena'.

"No country can afford to ignore sports in modern times. It is a billion dollar industry, it keeps the youth involved in constructive activities. A nation which ignores it does so on its on peril," they said.

Professor Malhotra, who is also president of the General Association of National Sports Federation, said the BJP would formulate new sports policy and streamline the Sports Authority of India.

He said the party would provide a 'much higher budget' for sports and give 100 per cent tax exemption to the sponsors of sports events.

"The functioning of sports bodies will be freed from all bureaucratic and political interference," he said, ''We will have well conceived, long term policies with regard to India's participation in international events like the Olympics, Commonwealth and Asian games."

Professor Malhotra said the BJP planned to make sports a compulsory educational subject. It would also build a countrywide network of sports clubs to involve all sections of society. He said the idea behind a sports commission was that sportspersons should have a forum to get redress their grievances.

Ajit Pal, who led India to its only World Cup hockey title victory, said the BJP manifesto has rekindled hope for sportspersons in the country.

Azad said the party's sports policy clearly reflects its concern for the youth and sportsperson.

UNI