Chandigarh, Aug 9 (IANS) Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday urged the Centre and the state governments "to fully acknowledge and honour the contribution of each and every player, in addition to the medal winners, who represented the country at the Tokyo Olympics".
In a statement here, Badal said the governments must not make the mistake of playing to the gallery and hogging limelight by simply focusing on the medal winners alone.
"Our medal winners fully deserve all the credit and praise being showered upon them by governments and other countrymen. But in our enthusiasm to the champions, we must not overlook or be indifferent to the contribution of players who fought bravely.
"Many of them missed winning medals narrowly but their display was as brilliant and brave as of anyone else in the world. We must salute ou medal winners but so must we stand up to acknowledge the other bravehearts who fought to bring laurels to the country."
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President, said: "our hockey girls played like true world champions".
Former Indian cricketer and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has accepted Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor on November 9. In Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), however, said the “political clearance” would have to be sought for it.
The plea was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar which agreed to list it for hearing on Thursday before an appropriate bench.
As a delegation of Members of European Parliament (MEPs) completed its tour of Kashmir, questions are being raised over how the "unofficial" visit not mandated by the European Parliament was organized.
