Dhoni and Bhajji: Without batting an eyelid!
Captain of the India Cricket team, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh have come under attack for their act of skipping the prestigious Padma award-giving ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
INDIAN CRICKET captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh have come under attack for their act of skipping the prestigious Padma Shri award-giving ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on April 14. The players were among the selected ones to be conferred the Padma Shri by President Pratibha Patil, but their absence from the coveted award ceremony has stirred up a storm.
It is said that both the players skipped the Presidential honour, as they were busy with endorsements and ad-shoots prior to their departure to South Africa for Indian Premier League (IPL).
According to TV reports, both the cricketers were busy shooting for an ad film due to which they failed to turn up for the event and this was clearly an act of preferring moolah to such a prestigious award.
Some media reports even said that Harbhajan missed the function despite his being in the national capital, after finishing his brand engagements, before leaving for the IPL. However, Bhajji brushed aside the criticism saying that he had not been in Delhi and cited family commitment as the reason for skipping the event. He insisted that he had to be at home in Jalandhar to attend to some pressing family problem.
Despite all their clarifications, they are not able to get off the criticism hurled at them. Sports Minister MS Gill flayed the casualness of the duo and seemed annoyed with their unruly behaviour. He said that to be selected for such a national honour and then receiving it from the President is a rare fortune and must be treated with the greatest respect. He further said: “I certainly don’t approve of any casualness in anyone’s approach.”
As the latest development, a criminal case has been filed in a court accusing both Dhoni and Bhajji of hurting the sentiments of their fans by staying away from the Padma awards function. The petitioner alleged that the two cricketers insulted and belittled the prestige and honour attached to the award.
The sporting fraternity is also not too amused with the attitude of the two cricket stars. Ace shooter and gold medal winner at Beijing Olympics Abhinav Bindra, who also attended the function to receive his Padma Bhushan award, said that such an award deserves much more respect. Come what may, he would not have given it a miss even though he had been out of the country. Former cricketer and coach - Anshuman Gaekwad feels that both the cricketers have committed a mistake which is not expected of the players of their stature.
No doubt, our cricketers are a busy lot and have toured a lot during recent times for the nation, but one can’t justify the act of Dhoni and Bhajji in this case.
Some media reports even said that Harbhajan missed the function despite his being in the national capital, after finishing his brand engagements, before leaving for the IPL. However, Bhajji brushed aside the criticism saying that he had not been in Delhi and cited family commitment as the reason for skipping the event. He insisted that he had to be at home in Jalandhar to attend to some pressing family problem.
Despite all their clarifications, they are not able to get off the criticism hurled at them. Sports Minister MS Gill flayed the casualness of the duo and seemed annoyed with their unruly behaviour. He said that to be selected for such a national honour and then receiving it from the President is a rare fortune and must be treated with the greatest respect. He further said: “I certainly don’t approve of any casualness in anyone’s approach.”
As the latest development, a criminal case has been filed in a court accusing both Dhoni and Bhajji of hurting the sentiments of their fans by staying away from the Padma awards function. The petitioner alleged that the two cricketers insulted and belittled the prestige and honour attached to the award.
The sporting fraternity is also not too amused with the attitude of the two cricket stars. Ace shooter and gold medal winner at Beijing Olympics Abhinav Bindra, who also attended the function to receive his Padma Bhushan award, said that such an award deserves much more respect. Come what may, he would not have given it a miss even though he had been out of the country. Former cricketer and coach - Anshuman Gaekwad feels that both the cricketers have committed a mistake which is not expected of the players of their stature.
No doubt, our cricketers are a busy lot and have toured a lot during recent times for the nation, but one can’t justify the act of Dhoni and Bhajji in this case.
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