A controversy has erupted in Punjab after the government college sports ground in Rupnagar was allegedly damaged during preparations for a religious programme organised by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday. The incident has sparked criticism from sportspersons, opposition leaders, alumni and local residents, who have accused the administration of sacrificing vital sports infrastructure for a one-day event.
Event Context
As preparations for the event attended by chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday continued over the past several days, the ground remained inaccessible to athletes, forcing them to suspend training. Coaches and sportspersons fear that restoring the facility to competition standards could take months, potentially affecting preparations for upcoming state and national competitions.
Congress leader Brinder Singh Dhillon accused the AAP government of destroying a public sports facility despite repeatedly claiming to promote sports in the state. “The government speaks about encouraging sports, yet it has destroyed a sports ground. This reflects its priorities and its lack of sensitivity towards sportspersons,” Dhillon said.
“It will take months before the ground is restored. Public money will again be spent to repair the damage. Those responsible should be held accountable,” he added.
AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said he was aware that the religious function was being organised at the venue but was not aware that the sports ground had been dug up.
Rupnagar deputy commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal assured that the administration would restore the ground immediately after the programme.
Former India cricketer and Rajya Sabha member Harbhajan Singh also criticised the damage caused to the sports infrastructure. While acknowledging the importance of religious events, Harbhajan said public sports facilities built to nurture young talent should not be damaged for temporary functions. He urged the government to ensure that such incidents are not repeated and that the ground is restored at the earliest so athletes can resume training without further disruption.
Three-time Olympian and Congress MLA Pargat Singh termed the incident “deeply heartbreaking” for every sportsperson. In a post on X, he said the incident represented “not just the loss of a sports ground, but the loss of opportunities for our youth and a setback for our society.”
The controversy has also drawn sharp objections from the Government College, Rupnagar, Old Students Association (OSA), which alleged that the district administration violated the CM’s own directions against organising non-sporting events on sports grounds.
In a complaint submitted to the authorities, the association claimed repeated appeals to protect the athletics track and football ground were ignored despite officials being aware that preparations for the religious programme would damage the sports infrastructure.
Player Focus
The controversy centres on the government college ground, one of the district’s key sports facilities, where a 400-metre athletics track was reportedly dug up at several places, football goalposts were uprooted and sections of the playing field were levelled using heavy machinery to accommodate the event stage and other temporary infrastructure.
Match Outlook
“We will assess the situation. The ground will be repaired and made even better once the function is over,” the DC said.
Explaining the choice of venue, he stated that the programme was organised within the city following public demand. “There was a demand that the religious programme should be held inside the city so that the maximum number of people could participate. We assure everyone that the sports infrastructure will be restored immediately after the programme,” he said.
Local AAP MLA and cabinet minister Harjot Singh Bains did not immediately respond to calls and text messages seeking his reaction.
