On Sunday, Jalandhar-based specially-abled chess champion Malika Handa slammed Punjab Government in a rant on social media. In the video, uploaded on her social media, said that Punjab Sports Minister Pargat Singh has said that the state government cannot grant her job and cash reward as the government does not have any such policy for deaf sportspersons.
Handa posted a video on her Twitter account and vented out her frustration. She wrote a long message, along with the video, which read, “I met Sports Minister Pargat Singh on Dec 31st. He said that the state govt can't provide a job & a cash reward because they don't have a policy for deaf sports. Ex-sports minister has announced cash award for me I also have a letter of invitation in which I was invited but was cancelled due to covid. This thing when I told to present sports minister @pargat Singh he told clearly it was ex-minister I did not announce and govt cannot do,"
She added, "Former sports minister had announced a cash reward for me & I also have a letter of invitation in which I was invited but it was cancelled due to #COVID19.”
In the message, she blamed the current government for wasting her 5 years and also asked that why the government is not supporting the deaf sportspersons. She wrote, “I am only asking why it was announced. My time Waste 5 years on congress govt. They fool me.. not care about deaf person sports. District Congress all told me that supports, promised me after 5 years that happen is nothing now. Why why is the Punjab govt doing this?”
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She tweeted the video with a caption, which read, “I m very feeling Hurt 31 Dec I met sports minister of Punjab @PargatSOfficial. Now He said Punjab Govt cannot give job and Not cash award accept to (Deaf sports) because they do not have a policy for deaf sports.”
Handa is a seven-time national chess champion and has won six medals in Asian Games and World tournaments. On December 31, she won a gold and a silver in World Deaf Chess Championships, where she met the state sports minister, and he informed her that she is ineligible for government awards.
On Monday, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that he will ask the sports minister to her. "Govt should help her (speech impaired chess player Malika Handa). If she comes to me, I will definitely help her. I will ask Pargat Singh Ji (Punjab Sports Minister) to help her, said Deputy CM Sukhjinder Randhawa.