The Uttarakhand government has issued a clarification over a controversy involving a taekwondo player, saying the matter has been misrepresented as a case of a government official demanding money from the student.
According to the government, a student studying at CNI Girls School had raised the issue of requiring around ₹1.5 lakh to participate in an international taekwondo competition before Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami during a youth dialogue programme.
The government said the student was receiving training through the Taekwondo Council of India, a private organisation, and had been selected for an international competition through the organisation.
The total cost of participating in the competition, including travel, was estimated at around ₹3.70 lakh, according to the clarification. The private organisation had assured the student that it would bear around ₹1.70 lakh, while she was required to arrange the remaining ₹1.50-1.60 lakh.
Government says private competition, not official selection process
The government said the matter therefore did not involve a government official demanding money from the student and was not connected with any government selection process. It concerned expenses related to participating in a competition organised at the private level through a private organisation.
{{/usCountry}}The government said the matter therefore did not involve a government official demanding money from the student and was not connected with any government selection process. It concerned expenses related to participating in a competition organised at the private level through a private organisation.
{{/usCountry}}The government said the student could not explain the entire matter in detail during the limited time available for the interaction, which led to confusion about the issue.
It alleged that some political individuals were using the incomplete information to portray the matter as a case of a bribe being sought.
The government said the student's concerns and talent deserved full respect, but maintained that presenting her case with incorrect facts for political gain was inappropriate.
According to the clarification, the student's request related to arranging the remaining amount required to participate in the international competition after the private organisation agreed to bear a portion of the expenses.
The government reiterated that the issue was related to a private organisation and the expenses associated with participation in an international competition. It said there was no government official demanding money and no government selection process involved in the matter.