Sports should be part of Fundamental Rights: PIL

New Delhi: In spite of being the second most populous country in the world with nearly a fifth of the world’s population, India is not able to produce quality players and perform well in international events. It is so because our country doesn’t have any sports law, according a 25-year-old law student of Delhi University who has filed a PIL to make sports part of the Fundamental Rights, which will galvanise the citizens.

Moral degradation and cases of suicide among the youth and the increased number of depression cases has appalled Kanishka Pandey, who has now moved the apex court by filling a PIL (public interest litigation) seeking directives to various agencies to frame laws for sports to offer ultimate solution to such issues plaguing our society today.

Mr Pandey said the PIL has sought from the apex court directives to the government and various stakeholders to evolve a sporting culture in the country. He said it should be in the lines of the new initiative by the Central government, which has started the Khelo India Campaign.

Keeping in mind that the limitation of such initiative is that it doesn’t have the backing of the existing laws of the land, the PIL has sought directives for the legislature to amend the Constitution and incorporate laws on sports under the Fundamental Rights, the Directive Principles, and the Fundamental Duties.

Apart from this, a transition from an orthodox mindset is also important. For this, a change should be brought about in the service rule of the government employees and in the education policy of the country where sports is not given much importance.

“Right to sports should be made mandatory as it will help us achieve right to health,” said Mr Pandey.

The next in-line amendment should be included in right to life as it does not mean a mere animal existence for people but a dignified life. It also encapsulates within its ambit providing every one with an opportunity to grow and attain overall personality development. Several reports prove that sports has been an integral tool for personality enhancement.

Mr Pandey did an independent research for three years on sports and its effects on people and penned down his findings in his book, Sports: A Way of Life. His book was appreciated by many and was even presented to the then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee

To usher in a new era for sports and to bring the conclusion of research on the ground, the 25-year-old even set up an NGO, Sport – A way of life. It has been dedicated to sensitise parents and children on the issue. 28 recipients of the Arjuna Award and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardees, which include names like Olympian Devendra Jhajharia and Pullela Gopichand, are backing this mission.