Gold medal-winning Asian Games heptathlete Swapna Barman on Friday said that she would love the West Bengal government to provide her with a house near her training base, besides declining to comment on the Rs 10 lakhs they have offered.
Mamata Bannerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal had offered Swapna a government job along with Rs 10 lakhs after a day she made history at the Asian Games by becoming the first Indian to win the gold medal in heptathlon.
This decision by the West Bengal government invited a lot of criticism especially in light of the fact that the Haryana government has announced Rs 3 crore. Odisha too announced a sum of Rs 3 crore for Dutee Chand who bagged two silver medals.
Interacting with the media at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) complex, Barman as quoted by The Indian Express, said “I have no comments. I have heard that the government has promised jobs to me and my brother. I have got a lot of offers and I am yet to decide.”
“My only wish is to have a permanent residence near the SAI complex (in Salt Lake). I stay at the SAI complex now but if my performance is not there, I won’t have a place to stay. So it would be hugely beneficial if the government could help me get a house,” she added, when asked if she wanted anything from the West Bengal government.
The Jalpaiguri girl went on to recall the moment in 2015 which ended up being the turning point where she had almost given up on her career.
She said, ” Sir (Subhash Sarkar) called me several times and urged me to come back to Jalpaiguri. I am very short-tempered. I had almost given up but I returned only for Sir. This day would not have come if I did not listen to him that day.”
The function at the SAI Eastern Centre also saw other Asian Games participants like handball goalkeeper Nina Shill and gymnasts Pranati Das, Mandira Hazra Chowdhury and Pranati Nayak being felicitated.