Khel Mahakumbh turns a ‘zero sum’ game

The Dahod district administration,while admitting to some delay in giving away the prizes,denied that the winners were given blank envelopes,a version disputed by local NCP MLA Tusharsinh,who was also one of guests at the event.

Tusharsinh claimed several participants had to wait till 10 pm to get their prizes,given to them only after his intervention.

The district administration later sent out a release denying that the winners were given blank cheques.

“In total,about 963 winners were supposed to get prizes totalling Rs 21.78 lakh,including vouchers. All the 963 cheques were ready. While winners in some of the events were yet to decided when the prize distribution started,guests including Bhabhor distributed prizes worth Rs 3.36 lakh to 94 winners,including vouchers worth Rs 37,400 for the Gujarat government’s Vanche Gujarat programme. Due to paucity of time,guests left the venue while some of the events were still going on,” the release said.

It added,“At 9.40 pm,627 other winners got Rs 13.12 lakhs in prizes. Some of the participants whose results were yet to be declared started asking for prizes while the events were still going on,which created a ruckus. However,reports about blank cheques being distributed by Bhabhor are false and misleading,” the release added.

Tusharsinh,however,said all the guests,including Bhabhor,left the venue soon after the distribution of the prizes.

“When students opened the envelopes,they found there were no cheques but just paper slips. This enraged them and they started hurling chairs and tables. I along with two local officials pacified them. I remained present there along with manager of the event M K Gamvit till 10 pm to make sure all participants got their prizes. I am going to write to the chief minister since the event was mismanaged and brought shame to sports,” he said.