VIP Cars Including Sharad Pawar's At Race Track; "Sad," Says Kiren Rijiju

NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other VVIPs had parked their vehicles on the track for athletes at Pune's Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex.

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has expressed his displeasure over reports that Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and other seniors ministers in the Maharashtra government used a track for athletes as a parking lot during a meeting in Pune. Such incidents bring disrespect for sports and sporting ethics in our country, Mr Rijiju tweeted, reacting to a tweet by a BJP MLA from Pune who reported the incident. I'm personally very sad to see such disrespect for sports and sporting ethics in our country. https://t.co/XV47LRckmJ It is one thing for the Sport Commissioner of MH to apologize for this disgraceful act... but when will the tall leaders of the #MVA apologize to the athletic community for disrespecting & destructing their hallowed ground with an act that clearly was a brazen abuse of power https://t.co/6EogZYXca0 "As it is we are lacking in sufficient sports facilities in our country. All the sports centers need proper care," he tweeted. In his tweet yesterday, Siddharth Shirole, the BJP legislator from Shivajinagar Constituency, said that apart from Mr Pawar (who is Indian Olympic Association president), Sports Minister Sunil Kedar and Cabinet Minister Aditi Tatkare had also parked their vehicles on the track for athletes at Pune's Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex.