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Journalism of Courage
Two days after the death of national-level basketball player Hardik Rathee, 16, in Haryana’s Rohtak district, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Haryana Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam visited his family to offer condolences at their residence in Lakhan Majra village on Thursday.
Mann, accompanied by Haryana AAP unit president and former Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Gupta and AAP national media in‑charge Anurag Dhanda, arrived by helicopter. On Wednesday evening, several Congress leaders, including MPs Deepender Singh Hooda and Varun Chaudhary, also met Rathee’s grieving family.
Rathee lost his life on Tuesday when a basketball post, allegedly in poor condition, collapsed into his chest as he attempted a dunk at the Lakhan Majra sports complex.
After inspecting the court and meeting the family, Gautam said the nation had lost a rare talent. “Hardik was a gem of a sportsperson who could have brought glory to the country on the world stage. This grief is not only the family’s but that of the entire society and the nation. To share this pain, the government and the chief minister stand firmly with the family. I have discussed all matters with them, whether related to financial assistance or creating something in Hardik’s memory. The family has faith in the government, and we are with them in this hour of sorrow.”
When asked about administrative negligence, Gautam responded: “We have already suspended those responsible. The matter will be thoroughly investigated, and whoever is found guilty will face action.”
Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, meanwhile, pointed out that his son, Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda, had allocated Rs 12.3 lakh and an additional Rs 6.2 lakh from the MPLAD fund for the Lakhan Majra ground, but the money remained only on paper, with no work carried out.
Questioned about the unused MPLAD funds, Gautam said: “The funds were sent to the panchayat department. Why they were not utilised will be investigated, and action will follow accordingly.”
Just three days earlier, in neighbouring Bahadurgarh, another teenage basketball player, Aman, 15, died in a similar incident after a basketball pole fell on him during training at the Shaheed Brigadier Hoshiar Singh Stadium.
Asked about steps being taken after these back-to-back tragedies, Gautam said, “Sports nurseries and playgrounds are the responsibility of the sports department. We are addressing the issues and have already resolved some of them.”
He further said: “We have invested heavily in maintaining sports infrastructure. Rs 150 crore has already been given to the PWD department for maintenance, and over the past 10 years, Rs 600 crore has been spent on infrastructure upkeep.”
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