Haryana panchayats want Rajiv Gandhi's name off from stadiums

Chandigarh, May 16:  Nearly 90 per cent of panchayats in Haryana have demanded that sports stadiums in their villages should be renamed and the name of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi should be removed, a minister said on Tuesday.

Haryana Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Anil Vij said: "Ninety per cent of the proposals received from panchayats in the state have recommended that sports stadia named after Rajiv Gandhi should be renamed after Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh and other martyrs."

"These proposals are under consideration of the state government. The gram panchayats concerned had been asked to send proposals to suggest names for the sports stadia," Vij added.

Haryana has a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government since October 2014.

Speaking after unveiling the Shaheed Bhagat Singh 30th All India Under-15 National Day/Night League Cricket Championship 2017 trophies here, Vij said a special campaign would be launched in the state to deter sportspersons from indulging in doping.

Vij said that during the campaign, the state would be divided into four zones and a central government team would be invited to inform sportspersons about the precautions that they may take to avoid accidental or habitual doping.

"With a view to reaching out to every sportsperson, this campaign would later be launched at the district level," he added.

Sportspersons from Haryana have excelled in fields like boxing, wrestling, shooting and hockey in recent years.