Indians For Guns

Just heard that the Mumbai eveninger Mid Day plans to bring out an article later today on Jaspal Rana and how the almighty GoI ignored him, not as much as sending a single letter of congratulations after his wins at the Doha Asiad.

I have to run - would appreciate it if someone could post this later today from the Mid-Day website.

Yet another comment on how the neta-babus encourage sports - the morons post every now and then about the GoI's "forward looking policy on the shooting sports" on Target Talk. Every one of these posts is anonymous. Proves to me what (insert expletive of choice) they really are.

Here is the entire article from Mid Day:-

Not even a letter of appreciation: Rana
By: Chitrabhanu R Kadalayil
January 21, 2007
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No holds barred: Jaspal Rana
FEARLESS Jaspal Rana on Saturday continued his relentless attack on the Government of India, asking them to wake up and smell the coffee.

The ace shooter who brought home an unprecedented three gold medals at the recent Doha Asian Games, said the Government was doing nothing to develop sportspersons in India.

While panning the establishment, the Delhi-based political aspirant paid tribute to his shooting contemporaries as well as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for having a vision and putting India on the global sporting map.

Speaking to the media as one of the Standard Chartered Marathon’s brand ambassadors, Rana said he hadn’t received even one congratulatory note from any Government body, so much for supporting sportspersons!

Ungrateful

“Besides (Indian Olympic Association president) Suresh Kalmadi, who was in Doha, I got not one letter of appreciation for winning the golds at the Asiad from the Government,” an incensed Rana said.

He pointed out that the Government needed to increase its annual budget for sports development. “The budget comes to around Rs 450 crore, which is nothing. We need thousands of crores or rupees if we are to hire good coaches and develop infrastructure.

“And thanks to budget deficiencies, the Government gets us cheap ammunition while tendering bids. What’s the point?

“Whatever Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Anjali Bhagwat, Samresh Jung and the lot have achieved is despite the system,” he said. “The system in turn does nothing for these achievers.”

Bravo, BCCI!

Rana also saluted the BCCI for allotting a certain amount from its corpus to help promote other sports and sportspersons. “Why can’t other sports bodies function like the BCCI and promote their sports like the BCCI does?

“And I want to ask the Government why the BCCI should pay for our development. Why should we have to take money from the BCCI? What is the Government doing to help us?” he demanded to know.

Rana has also asked the public to forget about India’s chances at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. “The decision makers always make long-term plans. And once nothing can be done about them, they make more long-term visions. Nothing is done in the interim.”

HAcked me off enough in the 80's when i scored in the 580+ in 50m, was selected and had to watch a politically connected shooter go for an int'l meet.Thats why I am a strong proponent of an alternate shooting match like the 20 in 2 min standing at 200m, or the one handed 12 shotgun! in all seriousness, why does it only have to be the Olympic type shooting sports? why cant we have some fun/ practical pistol / rifle / shot gun matches? In this day and age , we culd get enough sponsors and backing.All we need to do is start=for starters you wont need to to buy a renown shooter cert and import space guns.Let the average gun owner -yes, all us KF hatoda owners take part in a distinct ctaegory, same for Indian made guns, etc
Any inputs here?
You dont have to be a rural, below poverty line, 'shooting star' discovery-any gun owner should be willing and ABLE to participate with ORDINARY guns.
Sounds like fun.Any takers? The olympics can do their own thing...
Axx