RENAMING KHEL RATNA AFTER DHYAN CHAND POLITICAL: SENA

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena on Monday criticised the Centre’s decision to change the name of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award to Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, saying the government was “indulging in political games”. An editorial in Saamana, Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece, remarked that the Centre could have honoured Dhyan Chand, India’s hockey legend, without insulting the sacrifice of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 6 announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award will be renamed after decorated Olympian Major Dhyan Chand. “Indira Gandhi was assassinated by terrorists. Rajiv Gandhi also lost his life in a terrorist attack. There can be political differences between the two. There is room for difference in democracy, but the sacrifice of the Prime Ministers, who have contributed to the progress of the country, cannot become a subject of ridicule,” said the editorial in Saamana.

It added that renaming the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award would be a “political game and not public sentiment.” “Major Dhyan Chand could have been honoured without insulting the sacrifice of Rajiv Gandhi,” it said.

Sena said, “Now the political players of BJP are saying that ‘Did Rajiv Gandhi ever hold a hockey stick in his hand?’ Their question is valid, but if Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad was renamed after Narendra Modi, does he have any achievements in cricket?”

State BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said they do not react to newspaper editorials.