Hearing-impaired chess player slams Punjab govt for denial of job, cash award

A hearing-impaired chess player on Monday lashed out at the Punjab government, saying she was ''hurt'' after the denial of a job and cash award to her.

In a tweet, Mallika Handa said she had met Punjab Sports Minister Pargat Singh on December 31, who told her that the state government can’t give her a job and cash awards as they do not have a policy for deaf sportspersons.

''I’m very feeling hurt,'' she said in the tweet, with which she posted a video of herself, expressing anger while showing her medals and awards.

She wrote the ex-Punjab sports minister had announced a cash award for her and had sent a letter of invitation for a event, which was cancelled due to Covid. When I told about it to the current sports minister, he said he can’t do it, Handa mentioned in a tweet. ''Why Punjab govt doing this,'' she asked posting a purported invitation for an event from the Punjab Sports Department.