Renaming Khel Ratna award not people's wish, but 'political game': Shiv Sena

Targeting the Centre, the Sena said, “Now the political players of BJP are saying that ‘Did Rajiv Gandhi ever hold a hockey stick in his hand?’ Their question is valid, but if the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad was renamed after Narendra Modi, does he have any achievements in cricket?”

Shiv Sena on Monday criticised the Centre’s decision to change the name of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award to Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, saying the government was “indulging in political games”. An editorial in Saamana, Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece, remarked that the Centre could have honoured Dhyan Chand, India’s hockey legend, without insulting the sacrifice of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays floral tribute to Major Dhyan Chand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 6 announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the country’s highest sporting honour, will be renamed after decorated Olympian Major Dhyan Chand. (PTI File)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 6 announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the country’s highest sporting honour, will be renamed after decorated Olympian Major Dhyan Chand. “Respecting their [citizens across India] sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award,” he said in a tweet.

“Indira Gandhi was assassinated by terrorists. Rajiv Gandhi also lost his life in a terrorist attack. There can be political differences between the two. There is room for difference in democracy, but the sacrifice of the Prime Ministers, who have contributed immensely to the progress of the country, cannot become a subject of ridicule,” said the editorial in Saamana.

It added that renaming the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award would be a “political game and not public sentiment.”

“Major Dhyan Chand could have been honoured without insulting the sacrifice of Rajiv Gandhi. India has lost that tradition and culture,” it said.

The Saamana editorial raised questions over the Centre’s claims that the decision was taken due to “public sentiment”. Targeting the Centre, the Sena said, “Now the political players of BJP are saying that ‘Did Rajiv Gandhi ever hold a hockey stick in his hand?’ Their question is valid, but if the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad was renamed after Narendra Modi, does he have any achievements in cricket?” It added that a similar standard can be applied to the Delhi cricket stadium that is named after late BJP leader Arun Jaitley.

HT has reached out to BJP for a comment. This copy will be updated when the party responds.