BJP vs AAP: CWG medallist Divya Kakran’s claim over financial assistance stirs political tussle

Indian wrestler Divya Kakran was evidently disappointed when she won the Bronze medal in the 68 kg category at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games 2022.

The freestyle wrestler who called out the Delhi government after finishing in third place in her category is now caught in a political tussle.

Soon after she won the medal at Birmingham 2022, the 23-year-old hit out at the Arvind Kejriwal government for not providing her any aid for her training. Her claims have triggered a war of words between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Bhartiya Janta Party.

While AAP's national spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned Kakran over which state she represents, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla slammed him for insulting Kakran.

Bharadwaj had said in a tweet, that as per records Kakran represents Uttar Pradesh and not Delhi, to which Poonawalla responded by saying, 'It's an insult to the athlete, youth and Tricolour, whether it's a stadium or battlefield, people fight for the glory of Tiranga, asking Kakran where she is from is an insult to the athlete'

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The AAP government then issued a clarification. In a statement, AAP said that the UP-based wrestler was provided financial assistance until 2017, the year she last represented the state. As per the Wrestling Federation of India as well, Kakran has been playing for UP since 2017.

Divya who had also won Bronze in the 2018 Gold Coast Games said that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal promised assistance to her back then and added that her calls later went unanswered. In opposition to this, AAP said Kakran never contacted the Delhi government.

While saying that the players who have applied for assistance are getting the help, the Delhi govt clarified that she was given Rs 5000 in 2010-11, 10,000 in 2012-13, 1 lakh in 2013-14, and 42,000 each in 2014 & 2016-17.