New Delhi, August 17
The Lok Sabha today witnessed uproarious scenes when Congress member Jagmit Singh Brar sought a clarification from the government on “Flying Sikh” Milkha Singh’s reported charge that Prime Minister’s Office was interfering in the selection of sportspersons for the prestigious Arjuna Award.

Mr Brar, and others who joined him when he was given the permission to raise the issue during zero hour, said the “Flying Sikh” had refused the ‘Arjuna’ Award as he was being clubbed with non-deserving persons and sought to know the veracity of Milkha Singh’s charge against the PMO.

Milkha Singh, winner of one Commonwealth Games and four Asian Games medals, had, at a press conference yesterday, regretted that sportspersons with no achievements at the international level were being given this award, Mr Brar said.

BJP member Vijay Kumar Malhotra, who was joined by several treasury benches colleagues, got provoked at Mr Brar’s mention of the PMO and said the Congress MP had deliberately misinterpreted Milkha Singh’s statement.

Mr Brar, Prof Malhotra and others contended, had attributed to Milkha Singh’s comments he had not made.

At this point, several Congress MPs, including Mr Balbir Singh and Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, joined Mr Brar saying that giving away the Arjuna Award now to Milkha Singh was to belittle his achievements as his track records had not been broken by any Indian sportsman in the past four decades.

Mr Brar, however, asserted that he was not making a charge against the PMO but only referring to Milkha Singh’s statement with a view to clarify the official position.