The Delhi High Court Thursday issued notice to the CRPF against a decision to disband its bodybuilding team and send team members to their regular units.
The 13 team members who moved court said they had never been trained to function as regular CRPF personnel and had got into the force through sports quota. The court also sought Union home ministry?s response.
The team members have been in service for over 9 years, and boast having won medals in national and international events. ?We have never been given normal training. We do not know how to pick up guns and do regular work. We are sportspersons,? said Sanjeev Kumar, who joined CRPF in 2009.
Kumar represented CRPF at the 2013 Belfast World Police and Fire Games. His teammate Borun Yumnam won a silver at the 2009 Asia Bodybuilding Championships. Other personnel also represented CRPF at national and international events.
?The team won several medals and is top team in India. The decision to disband the team is arbitrary and incorrect,? argued their advocate Medhanshu Tripathi. The members include personnel who won medals in Mr India and Mr Asia championships.
The CRPF, in a notification this month, dissolved the rugby and bodybuilding teams, on grounds these were not part of ?all India Sports?.
The petitioners disagree. ?All certificates issued to petitioners show that Bodybuilding is recognised by the ministry of Sports, Sports Authority of India and the Indian Olympic Association,? says the plea. The court of Justices Reva Khetrapal and Pratibha Rani issued notice to CRPF and the MHA. The court declined to stay the CRPF notification, but said it would be subject to the outcome of court proceedings.