Watch: Uttar Pradesh kabaddi players served food laid out on toilet floor

Screengrab from the video show food being laid out on the toilet floor.

A video of Uttar Pradesh kabaddi players being served food in a toilet has led to a massive outrage on social media. The now-viral video was shot recently during an Under-17 state level kabaddi tournament for girls at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Sports Stadium  in Saharanpur.

The clip shows the players serving themselves rice and vegetable from containers kept on the floor near a row of urinals in a toilet. There were also puris kept on a piece of torn paper on the floor, right next to the urinals.

Food served to kabaddi players in #UttarPradesh kept in toilet. Is this how #BJP respects the players? Shameful! pic.twitter.com/SkxZjyQYza

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— YSR (@ysathishreddy) September 20, 2022

According to a report in Indian Express, the Uttar Pradesh government on  Tuesday suspended the regional sports officer of Saharanpur and blacklisted the contractor tasked with preparing and providing food to the kabaddi players.

Navneet Sehgal, additional chief secretary (sports), told the publication that the government has suspended Animesh Saxena, regional sports officer of Saharanpur, with immediate effect. He added that District magistrate, Saharanpur, Akhilesh Singh, has been directed to conduct a detailed inquiry of the matter and submit a report.

Meanwhile, NDTV quoted Saxena as saying "Because it was raining, we made arrangements for food in the swimming pool area. The food was kept in the changing room next to the swimming pool. Some construction work is being done in the stadium and there was no other place to keep the food because of the rain."

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Reacting to the video, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi called for strong action. “Such a shame!” she tweeted. “Can’t provide basic facilities to our sportspersons but expect them to win medals for the state/nation.”

Such a shame! Can’t provide basic facilities to our sportspersons but expect them to win medals for the state/nation. Hope @UPGovt takes immediate action and sacks the officials responsible for this. https://t.co/wVgqaM1FY4

— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) September 20, 2022

Congress's official Twitter handle posted in Hindi, "The BJP can spend crores on various campaigns, but does not have money to make proper arrangements for players."

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