Thiruvananthapuram: Several medal-winners in various sports events who are on an agitation seeking jobs claimed that Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman insulted them by not keeping the appointment with them.
"We waited for two hours in vain but the minister did not come to his office at all after calling us for talks," the sportspersons alleged.
The sportspeople came to the minister's office on time and waited till 1 pm. They claimed they were informed by the Sport’s Minister’s office that a meeting is scheduled on December 16 at 11 am.
However, Minister Abdurahiman claimed there was no invite for any discussion.
"They were informed that I would be available in Thiruvananthapuram after December 16. I would enquire whether anyone from my office invited them or not," he clarified.
However, the sportspersons alleged that they have been taken for a ride.
"Our five representatives waited at the minister's office as his private secretary conveyed that the minister would arrive soon for talks. But by 1 pm, they left the minister's office as another staff at the minister's office informed them that the minister was busy and he would not arrive for discussions," the sportspersons said.
The indefinite protest was begun by 44 medal-winning sportspersons before the Secretariat from December 1, demanding government jobs for them.
Last Monday, 54 of them crawled on their knees to highlight their plight. They had also tonsured their heads and performed a circumambulation in a lying posture (shayana pradakshinam).
The protestors claimed they will continue the protest until all medal-winners from 2010 to 2014 are appointed.
