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Anju Bobby George complains against Kerala sports minister

Olympian Anju Bobby George against Kerala Sports Minister

It seems the Kerala Sports Minister EP Jayarajan is up to set a record of sorts in triggering controversies. The latest row, the third one in a matter of a week, the minister allegedly vent his anger on Olympian Anju Bobby George, who is also the president of the State Sports Council, calling her corrupt and threatening to remove her from the post. 

 

Also read: Kerala Minister's blooper:  Calls Muhammad Ali a Keralite

 

The Olympian alleged that the minister behaved very rudely when she and Sports Council members went to meet him officially for the first time. “Without any apparent reason, the Minister started fuming at us. He called us all corrupt and threatened that the government will teach us a lesson,” Anju Bobby George told Asianet News. 

 

Also read: After bluffing on Ali, Kerala Minister kicks up another row

 

“We went to meet him (the Minister) with high expectations. But we were shocked to be treated like that,” Anju said. The long jumper said that the minister called them ant-party (read anti-CPM to which the minister belongs).  

 

“We are sports persons. We do not belong to any party, religion or caste. Our religion is sports. When we go with this vision in mind, this is what we get,” Anju Bobby George

 

“We are sports persons. We do not belong to any party, religion or caste. Our religion is sports. When we go with this vision in mind, this is what we get,” Anju said. “When we dedicate our time for the sports of Kerala, the minister is calling us corrupt and anti-party. It is very painful.”

 

Also read: Kerala minister defends his blooper on Muhammad Ali

 

The minister asked her why she used public fund to travel from Bengaluru to Kerala to perform her duty as Kerala Sports Council President, Anju said. “When I was appointed the president, I had demanded that the government to reimburse my flight ticket to and fro  Bengaluru and it was ratified by an order later,” the Olympian explained. 

 

“I am not just the president of State Sports Council. I am the chairperson Target Olympics Podium Scheme that grooms the sports persons for the Olympics for the next two editions. We don't want to stay aligned with any party,” Anju said.  “Nobody has talked to me like this before.”  
 

Peeved by the ill treatment, Anju met the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at his office and complained about the minister. “CM listened to me. He consoled me and told me that the government has nothing against the council. And I hope things will be okay,” she said.

 

“ The Minister is new to sports. We are in the field for all these years and dedicated our life to sports. They may have some hidden agenda,” the Olympian alleged. 
 

But Minister Jayarajan refuted the allegation and stated that Anju was happy after the meeting. “She (Anju) came to my office and we discussed things. She went back happily,” Jayarajan said. “I don’t think that she would complain like that,” the minister told reporters.

Also read: Anju was happy after meeting: Kerala Sports Minister

 


 
 

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