New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh has credited only players from his state for the Indian men’s hockey team’s 3-1 win against Great Britain to enter the Olympics semi-finals.
The CM tweeted, “Stellar performance by the India Men’s Hockey team at Tokyo Olympics to beat Great Britain by 3-1 and entering Olympic top four after 41 years. Happy to note that all three goals were scored by Punjab players Dilpreet Singh, Gurjant Singh and Hardik Singh. Congratulations… go for gold.”
Stellar performance by the Indian Men’s Hockey team at #TokyoOlympics to beat Great Britain by 3-1 & entering Olympic top 4 after 41 years. Happy to note that all 3 goals were scored by Punjab players Dilpreet Singh, Gurjant Singh & Hardik Singh. Congratulations…go for Gold! ?? pic.twitter.com/MgQiLFOf8K
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) August 1, 2021
This has, however, not gone down well with many twitterati in India. They called out the CM for stoking regionalism and forgetting the efforts of other players to set up the goals.
Anand Ranganathan, an academician and hockey enthusiast, was savage in his reply. “Yes, Captain, we are proud of Rohidas of Odisha who pushed the ball to Lalit of UP who drag-flicked it to Sanglakpam of Manipur who drbbled it to Prasad of MP who scooped it to Sreejesh of Kerala who drove it to Dilpreet, Gurjant and Hardik, all of Punjab, who scored. Jai Hind,” Ranganathan tweeted.
Yes, Captain, we are proud of Rohidas of Odisha who pushed the ball to Lalit of UP who drag-flicked it to Sanglakpam of Manipur who dribbled it to Prasad of MP who scooped it to Sreejesh of Kerala who drove it to Dilpreet, Gurjant, and Hardik, all of Punjab, who scored. Jai Hind. https://t.co/mDTnkOofhz
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) August 2, 2021
Another user called Shyam Tiwari reminded the Punjab CM of Odisha’s contribution to Indian hockey. “It was Odisha who sponsor hockey Indian team by giving ₹100 crore, tab captain sahab ko Punjab ke player nhi dikhe the. current Indian hockey team ke captain Manpreet Singh ke 2 bde bhai paise ke abhav me hockey chhod diye (Odisha sponsors Hockey India, but then Captain couldn’t see Punjab players. Two elder brothers of the current Indian Hockey team’s captain, Manpreet Singh, had to leave hockey due to lack of funds,” Tiwari replied to Amrinder’s post.
It was Odisha who sponsor hockey indian team by giving ₹100 crore,tab captain sahab ko Punjab ke player nhi dikhe the. current Indian hockey team ke captain Manpreet Singh ke 2 bde bhai paise ke abhav me hockey chhod diye, Beijing Olympic me qualify bhi nhi kr payi thi indian tm
— Shyam Tiwari (@shyam_rdx) August 1, 2021