In response to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to officially declare hockey as National Game, Union Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Thursday said that in order to love hockey no official proclamation is required.
“For loving sports and hockey, we do not need official proclamation. It is our national sport; so, let us start loving it. Even in terms of facilities, hockey is one of the priority sports of our country,” Rathore said.
He added that he would leave this up to the people who love hockey whether they would want it to be declared a national sport officially or they would continue to love it even if it remains unofficial.
However in reaction to the development, Chief Minister Patnaik said to mediapersons, “I would take up the matter with the Prime Minister and seek his support. By declaring hockey as National Game it would be a befitting tribute to the players who have brought glory to the country.”
On Wednesday, Patnaik had written a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to officially recognise hockey as National Game. As Odisha is all set to host the Hockey Men’s World Cup in Bhubaneswar in November, Patnaik said he was shocked to learn that hockey, which is considered as the national game, has never been officially notified as such.