Kolkata, July 30 (IANS) Arjuna Award winning para-athlete Prasanta Karmakar Saturday lashed out at the West Bengal government and the Railway ministry for not supporting him during his tough times.
‘I did not shift base to Harayana with lot of pleasure and happiness. It was my compulsion because I did not receive a single support from either the present state government or the previous state government. Everybody only gave vague assurances,’ said Karmakar, addressing a programme organised by the Calcutta Sports Journalists Club.
Karmakar, the first Indian to win a bronze medal in the 50m freestyle swimming in the Commonwealth Games Para-competitions, also lashed out at Bengal’s current Sports Minister Madan Mitra for doing nothing for the sportsmen from the state.
The para-athlete, who had lost his hand in an accident, also lashed out at Chief Minister and former railway minister Mamata Banerjee for not keeping her promise of providing him a job in the Railways.
‘Both I and archer Rahul Banerjee were promised a job in Railways. Rahul got the job but I was told that I can only get a job as group D staff and that I won’t be able to avail of any other facilities or time for my swimming,’ said Karmakar.
‘How could I take such job which would not avail me time and facilities for my swiming? This was unacceptable to me,’ he added.
