Quota spectre out to haunt sportspersons too

QUOTA GENIE is ‘out of the bottle’ again for the sportspersons of the State as the government has reportedly ordered for immediate implementation of the quota system in the admissions of Guru Gobind Singh College (Lucknow) and Vir Bahadur Singh Sports College (Gorakhpur). And if it’s implemented, then 50 per cent seats in both the sports colleges would be reserved for OBC (27 per cent), SC (21 per cent) and ST (2 per cent).  

Though Principal Secretary, Sports Sri Kishan, who also happens to be president of the Sports College Management, denies any such move as of now, sources confirmed that a letter in this regard had already been received by the UP Sports Directorate a few days back.

“No such move as of now regarding the implementation of quota system in the sports college,” said Kishan, adding, “We are planning to implement self-financing scheme in the college just to increase more seats for the aspirants.”

A pro-quota supporter and State Sports Minister RK Chaudhury, who also happens to be chairman of the Sports College Society, wasn’t available for his comments.

This is for the first time in the regime of Mulayam Singh Yadav, an attempt is being made to ‘divide’ sportspersons on the basis of caste and religion. In 2002, a similar attempt was made by the high-ups during Mayawati’s regime but it was backfired as she backtracked from ‘her decision’, saying that order to implement quota system in sports too, wasn’t of her. She even suspended the then Principal Secretary, Sports Harish Chandra for the ‘goof ups’.

Another senior IPS officer, who was sitting at the Pancham Tal that time, was also shunted out as he had reportedly played a crucial role in convincing the authorities for issuing such an order.“If the quota system is implemented, the feeling of brotherhood (which sportspersons follow) will be tarnished,” said a former head of the Sports Directorate, adding, “Then the day is not far when a special games for the reserved candidates will be organised at the national and international levels, because they won’t find it suitable to run or play with the general candidates.”“Will the reserved candidates run only 50 metre (out of 100 metre), where as the general athletes cover full distance to win the sprint gold?” he asked.