IAS officer Sanjeev Khirwar at Thyagraj stadium in Delhi. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)All sports facilities under the Delhi government will remain open till 10 pm, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Thursday. Sisodia was referring to a report by The Indian Express that athletes and coaches at the Delhi government-run Thyagraj Stadium have complained that they were being forced to wrap training by 7 pm, which is earlier than usual, as Delhi’s Principal Secretary (Revenue) Sanjeev Khirwar walks his dog at the facility about half-an-hour later.
“News reports have brought to our notice that certain sports facilities are being closed early causing inconvenience to sportsmen who wish to play till late night. CM Arvind Kejriwal has directed that all Delhi government sports facilities to stay open for sportsmen till 10pm,” Sisodia tweeted.
News reports have brought to our notice that certain sports facilities are being closed early causing inconvenience to sportsmen who wish to play till late nite. CM @ArvindKejriwal has directed that all Delhi Govt sports facilities to stay open for sportsmen till 10pm pic.twitter.com/LG7ucovFbZ
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) May 26, 2022
Officials said that the chief minister’s office had taken note of the news report and Kejriwal said that athletes should not suffer for the lack of training facilities and sporting facilities should make accommodations for them as per their timings.
The Delhi BJP, meanwhile, demanded that action be taken against Khirwar. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor asked the L-G and Kejriwal to institute an enquiry against the officer.
“This case of a senior official misusing his administrative power to reserve the stadium for daily walks with his dog is very serious. Please get the inquiry done and suspend the officer Sanjeev Khirwar,” Kapoor tweeted, tagging L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena and chief minister Kejriwal.
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