Monday, December 9, 2013

Will Niraj Suman, a national shooter play in 57th National Shooting Championship despite Bihar State Rifle Association's hurdle?

national shooter faces denial of right to play in 57th National Shooting Championship that commences from December 11

National shooter seeks CBI inquiry into the affairs of Bihar State Rifle Association
Niraj Suman, a national shooter from Bhawanipur, Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur dreams of winning a gold medal for India in the Olympics. Niraj Suman wrote to Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports on November 13, 2013 seeking his intervention to ensure his participation in the 57th National Shooting Championship during December 11-December 24, 2013. 
 
But Bihar State Rifle Association has imposed a ban on him. Niraj Suman has demanded to know the reason for the ban and sought an inquiry by CBI into the affairs of the Bihar State Rifle Association. Notably, this association is a private body registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860. Niraj Suman approached the High Court for justice.
On September 12, 2012, Justice V N Sinha, Patna High Court in the Civil Writ Jurisdiction case No. 16961 of 2012 ruled that competent authority enable Niraj Suman to participate in the National Shooting Events within one month.  But Director General, Bihar State Sports Authority, President, Bihar State Rifle Association and Government of Bihar have not complied with this order. 

Niraj Suman got a letter of recommendation from Sadanand Singh, leader of the Indian National Congress in the Bihar State Assembly but to no avail.  Sadanand Singh wrote to the Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports seeking on April 5, 2013 his intervention to ensure that Niraj Suman participates in the Shhoting World Cup May 4 –May 13, 2013 in USA and May 23 to May 30, 2013 in Germany.  Singh wanted the Minister’s intervention to ensure that National Rifle Association is directed to call Niraj Suman, shooter ID No. 3112197802 for trial. Sadanand Singh wrote, “this talent is being suppressed by the sports organizations.”  The Minister responded to him on April 12, 20132 saying he has asked the concerned department to look into the matter. But so far nothing has happened.

Niraj Suman has played in the 54th National Shooting Championship and 34th National Games. He has met Nitish Kumar, Bihar Chief Minister in his Janata Darbar to seek his intervention. 

He is a self taught shooter without coach. He is the only shooter from Bihar who qualified at the national level senior championship (10 m, Air Rifle, Male). For better performance he needed an imported gun to play in the international championship. He feels that if he can practice even briefly he can make a world record. 

He is one of the three sports persons who were selected from rifle shooting for appointment under the category of job promises made for talented sports persons.  Appointments have been made against the name of these three sports persons but his name does not figure in it. The one who has been appointed in his place has not even qualified for senior championship. Officials of the Bihar Government and the corrupt sports organizations are favoring their own person and stopping Niraj Suman from playing in the rifle championships. 

He is aggrieved because of callousness of the Bihar Government and the collusion of corrupt sports organizations. Niraj Suman considers Eklavya from Mahabharata as his ideal. Will concerned authorities intervene in time to investigate the role Dronacharya of the modern times who is patronizing off springs of princes and victimizing this modern day Eklavya? Will Niraj Suman participate in the 57th National Shooting Championship? Or will he become yet another test case that exposes the rot that has set in the sports organizations?

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