With Centre's hailing the just-concluded South Asian Games as the best SAG ever organised, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today alleged that his government was not given due credit.
"From the beginning I had only given directions that it should be the best. Meghalaya was there, but the major work was done by our officers. Modi should have thanked the Assam Government for the success," the Chief Minister said.
"How was success possible if we did not provide the infrastructure that was given by (former PM) Manmohan Singh?" Gogoi claimed.
Accusing Union Sports Minister and SAG chairman Sarbananda Sonowal of being an "expert in marketing himself to take credit for the success of the Games," the Chief Minister said no publicity was given to the state sports minister Ajit Singh, who worked as co-chairman on the ground untiringly.
Alleging that Doordarshan has become "Modi TV," Gogoi said "They show him all the time and have forgotten us. Doordarshan did not even show me well in the Games opening and closing ceremonies."
"We had asked for Rs 141.73 crore for holding the Games. Sonowal promised us Rs 133 crore before the Games, but sent us only Rs 94.56 crore," he said.
On the BJP government's claim that there was no development in the state during the last 15 years of Gogoi's rule, he asked "How did we accommodate 4,000 sports persons and officials in the hotels here? If there was no development, then how did the hotels come up here and the Games were held peacefully?"
Stating that he wants to develop sports infrastructure facilities in each rural block to encourage sporting talents there, Gogoi said Rs 1,000 crore has been sought from the Centre for the purpose.
