New Delhi: Haryana Sports Minister Anil Vij has sparked a fresh controversy by referring to the media as ‘stinking dogs’ in a tweet on the popular micro-blogging site, over reports claiming that he forgot to buy tickets for some events at the Rio Olympics.
“Some stinking dogs are writing again and again that we forgot to buy tickets for Rio which is incorrect. We had all the tickets. We reached Olympic village the same day with players in their Buses after Independence day celebrations at Rio,” the minister wrote on Twitter.
The minister went on the defensive over reports that his delegation had missed certain events at the Olympics and instead were exploring beaches in the city.
He had even taken to Facebook to hit out at the media for accusing him of enjoying himself at Rio’s beaches instead of watching events where Indian athletes were participating. He explained that they could not get tickets for some events, which however, seems to contradict his tweet, where he said that they 'had all the tickets'.
“We have a free press anybody can write as he wish, but today some media wrote that instead watching the matched I enjoyed at the beach for which I have never been to. Before writing at least I should have been asked, if not enquired from any fellow journalist of my reason he would told if I can go to a beach or not. That is right we could not attend yesterday matches because despite our best efforts we could not get yesterday tickets though we have tickets of all other Indian events."
Vij had flown to Rio to be part of a fairly large group of bureaucrats and politicians who are in Brazil to ‘cheer’ for the Indian contingent.
He was part of an 8-member delegation of officials sent by the Haryana government, which was pegged to cost the exchequer Rs 1 crore.
Before leaving, the minister had tweeted that he is "leading a contingent to Olympics to encourage the Haryana players”.
