In a classic case of brazen display of misuse of power, athletes and coaches at the Delhi government-run Thyagraj Stadium were allegedly asked by the authorities to stop their training early and vacate the ground so that a senior IAS officer could walk his dog at the facility, reports Indian Express.
According to the report, athletes and coaches at the Thyagraj Stadium have complained that they are being forced to wrap up their training before 7 pm to let Delhi’s Principal Secretary (Revenue) Sanjeev Khirwar walk his dog at the facility in the evening. The report said that the athletes used to train till 8-8.30 pm under lights earlier. However, they are now being asked to leave the ground by 7 pm so that the IAS officer can walk his dog on the ground.
As they are being forced out of the training ground, the athletes and the coaches say their practice has been disrupted. Narrating their ordeal, the coaches and athletes said that they have now to train in the heat as the practice has to be wrapped up early.
“Earlier, we continued training till 8.30 pm and sometimes even 9 pm, but now we have no option. Earlier, I took water breaks once every half-hour. Now I need a drink every five minutes,” said one junior athlete.
Meanwhile, the parents of a trainee athlete have called the incident “unacceptable”. “My child’s practice is getting disrupted. Even if they say they use the facilities late at night, can you justify using a state-owned stadium to walk your dog? This is a gross misuse of power,” said the parent.
As their training is disrupted, several athletes have now shifted their training to Sports Authority of India’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where floodlights are on after 7.30 pm.
“Children train here till 8.30 pm under the lights. Now, during the summer break, we run out of space in the practice area since the main stadium track is still under renovation,” said a coach at JLN stadium.
Security officials clear the stadium to make way for IAS officer, says report
The Indian Express team visited the stadium on three evenings in the last seven days to verify the allegations, and found them to be true. The report states that the stadium guards walked towards the track at around 6.30 pm, blowing whistles to clear the crowd and ensure that the facility was empty by 7 pm.
Stadium administrator Ajit Chaudhary said that the official timing in the evening is 4-6 pm, however, considering the heat, they allow athletes to train till 7 pm. As per the report, the administrator has no official order specifying the timing, while adding that he was not aware of any government official using the facilities after 7 pm.
“We have to close by 7 pm. You can find the government office timings anywhere. This stadium is also a government office under the Delhi government. I am not aware of any such thing as an official using the facilities to walk his dog. I leave the stadium by 7 pm, and I am unaware,” Chaudhary said.
The Thyagraj Stadium, which was built during the 2010 Commonwealth Games, is a multi-discipline facility that attracts national and state athletes and footballers.
IAS officer denies allegations, says will stop it
The Indian Express report said that they spotted Khirwar, a 1994-batch IAS officer, reaching the stadium with his dog after 7.30 pm. The IAS officer then walks with his pet around the track, sometimes on the football field amidst the presence of security.
Responding to allegations, Khirwa dismissed the allegations saying, “absolutely incorrect”. However, the officer accepted that he often took his pet for a walk at the facility. He denied that it disturbed the practice routine of athletes.
“I would never ask an athlete to leave the stadium that belongs to them. Even if I visit, I go after the stadium is supposed to close…We don’t leave the pet on the track when no one is around, we leave him but never at the cost of any athlete. If it is something objectionable, I will stop it,” the IAS officer said.
Manish Sisodia steps in, IAS officer was at loggerheads with the government
Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has stepped in to address the issue, saying that it has been brought to their notice that certain sports facilities are being closed early causing inconvenience to sportsmen who wish to play till late at night.
He also added that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has directed that all Delhi government sports facilities stay open for sportsmen till 10 pm.
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
Interestingly, the 1994-batch IAS officer was one of those bureaucrats who were once targeted by the AAP-led Delhi government a few years ago. In 2015, when Arvind Kejriwal was at loggerheads with Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, some of the IAS officers had to face the heat for not following the Delhi government’s orders.
Apparently, due to the crossfire between Arvind Kejriwal and Jung, the bureaucrats had faced a tough time discharging their assigned duties.
One of those 20 senior officers who had faced the wrath of the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government was Sanjeev Khirwar, who, with other officers, had lobbied to get out of the Delhi administration. The Delhi government’s actions had scared the officers to the extent that they were reluctant to work for the Delhi Government and instead sought deputation.
Nearly seven years later, the IAS officer is now being accused of missing a sports facility that is under the AAP-led Delhi government.
