Emphasising that a bigger loss for India than missing out on Olympic glory, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met with the sportspersons from Haryana as well as from across the country and asserted that youth are completely disappointed with the system.  

“No money, no game – this is the reality for most athletes in India today,” Gandhi said while sharing a snippet video of his interaction with the players from across the country on X.

Gandhi said he met a group of players from Haryana and across the country and listened to their problems.

“Completely disappointed with the system, struggling with lack of basic facilities like diet, rest and training, these youth are also losing hope and confidence – this is a bigger loss for India than missing out on Olympic Glory,” the Congress leader said.

The former Congress chief said India has immense talent, noting that only transparency, fairness and access to all necessary facilities will ensure that every promising player gets equal benefit.

“Unless we bring in a system that directly supports sportspersons, and puts sportspersons in charge instead of politicians in sports associations, India cannot achieve its true potential,” the Rae Bareli MP asserted.

The Congress, in a social media post on X, said: “Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi met a group of players from Haryana and across the country and listened to their problems. These youth, completely disappointed with the system, are now losing their hope and confidence.”

The grand old party added that “there is immense potential in our players, if the government supports them, they will hoist the flag of the country all over the world.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday unveiled projects worth over Rs 83,700 crore in Jharkhand, reaffirming his government’s commitment to the development of tribal in state.

The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of tribal development, stating that Mahatma Gandhi’s vision for this demographic is “our asset.” He launched the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, which will be implemented at a cost of Rs 79,150 crore, aimed at ensuring comprehensive and holistic development for tribal communities across the country.

Addressing the gathering in Hazaribagh, PM Modi said: “Today is the birth anniversary of revered Mahatma Gandhi. His vision, his ideas for tribal development are our capital. Gandhiji believed that India can develop only when there is rapid development of tribal society. I am satisfied that today our government is paying maximum attention to tribal upliftment.”

PM Modi said that more than five crore tribal brothers and sisters of the country will get benefit under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan. “The tribal society of Jharkhand will also get a huge benefit from this. I am happy that Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan is being started from the land of Lord Birsa Munda,” he added.

On the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the PM-Janman Yojana was also launched here in Jharkhand, Modi said.

“Next month on November 15, on Tribal Pride Day, we will celebrate the first anniversary of PM-Janman Yojana. Through this scheme, development is reaching even those tribal areas of the country that were left behind. Today, under the PM-Janman Yojana, the foundation stone for development works worth about Rs. 1,350 crores was laid here,” he said.

“Gandhi believed that India can develop only when there is rapid development of tribal society,” PM Modi said. He pointed out that his government is paying maximum attention to tribal upliftment now.

Under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, around 5 crore tribals will get benefits in 549 districts across 30 states and Union Territories. The scheme aims to address critical gaps in social infrastructure, health, education, and livelihood through 25 interventions carried out by 17 central Ministries and departments.

PM Modi also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for multiple projects under the PM Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), valued at over ₹1,360 crore.

These include the construction of more than 1,380 km of roads, 120 Anganwadi centres , 250 multi-purpose centres, and 10 school hostels.

The Delhi Police on Wednesday seized more than 560 Kg of cocaine worth nearly Rs 2000 crore, in one of the biggest drug bust in the national capital. The police said that the drugs were found in South Delhi and four people have been arrested in the case.

The officials suspect that this is an international drug syndicate that was being run by Afghan nationals in New Delhi. This follows days after two other Afghan nationals were arrested for allegedly running a syndicate. They were caught during a raid on Saturday in Tilak Nagar. The police recovered 400 grams of heroin and 160 grams of cocaine from the possession of the two accused namely Hashimi Mohammad Waris and Abdul Nayib.

Hashimi Mohammad Waris has been living in India on refugee status since January 2020. His family is in Afghanistan. After arriving in India, Waris worked in a chemist shop as a helper in Vikaspuri. Later, he entered into the drugs business when his friend contacted him and asked him to collect the consignments from different people in Delhi and NCR. The police said that he would further deliver them to the receivers, and used to get $100 for each delivery.

Police officials stated that Abdul Nayib is also an Afghan national and he came to India in January 2020 along with his father. He is a registered refugee, and his whole family except his father lives in Afghanistan. Abdul Nayib met Hashimi Mohammad Waris in a chemist’s shop in Vikaspuri. Police asserted that Waris lured Nayib into the drug business on the pretext of a lavish lifestyle.

Earlier in this year, the special cell of Delhi Police caught four men who were carrying drugs from violence-hit areas Manipur and four other states to Delhi and selling them to clubs in south Delhi. Police stated that the accused used Kia Seltos and Mahindra Thar as their means to smuggle fine quality opium and heroin which is worth crores.