Rohtak, Nov 27 (NationPress) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of Hardik Rathi, a 16-year-old national basketball player who tragically lost his life when a basketball pole collapsed during practice in his village playground.

Describing the incident as a national disgrace, the Chief Minister noted that the sports community is deeply saddened by this unfortunate event.

He remarked that Hardik's parents could never have anticipated that their son, who went out to practice with dreams of bringing glory to the nation, would return home in such a tragic manner.

Mann, a passionate advocate for sports, articulated his solidarity with the grieving family during this challenging period.

He pointed out the unfortunate reality that villagers had previously raised concerns regarding the basketball court's poor condition, but those warnings went unheeded.

The Chief Minister demanded accountability from the Haryana government for this negligence, insisting that a member of the bereaved family should be offered a government job and adequate compensation.

Mann emphasized that this heartbreaking incident has highlighted the deteriorating state of sports infrastructure in Haryana.

Despite the Haryana government's claims of improving sports facilities, the current situation is far from satisfactory, he stated.

He further mentioned that over 47 players from the same village have represented the country in national and international tournaments, yet the Haryana government has failed to ensure adequate facilities at their playground, which ultimately led to this tragedy.

Mann criticized the fact that although funds were allocated for the repair of the ground, not a single rupee has been spent, and accountability must be enforced.

He also conveyed his profound sorrow over the death of another young player, Aman Kumar (15), who perished in Bahadurgarh, Haryana, due to a similar incident, demanding strict action in that case as well.

He urged the Union Sports Ministry to obtain reports from all states regarding the current state of sports facilities to prevent future occurrences of such tragedies.

Mann highlighted the irony that while India is preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, inadequate infrastructure is causing the loss of promising young athletes.

The Chief Minister called for the Union government to reflect on whether the nation is truly prepared to host international competitions.

Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini expressed his sorrow over the deaths of the two young basketball players due to these unfortunate events in Bahadurgarh and Lakhan Majra in Rohtak districts.

He announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for each family of the deceased.

"The Haryana government stands with the grieving families during this difficult time," he stated.

Chief Minister Saini has also ordered a comprehensive inspection of all sports facilities in Haryana.