New Delhi:
Madhya Pradesh Chief minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has come all out in support of the Women's Hockey team.
The players met Chouhan to thank him for his donation of 1 crore, but the chief minister didn't stop at the generous donation. He wore black band in support of their protest against their non-payment of dues and incentives.
"I am with you and the state government will extend all financial help to see that the national game does not suffer due to money constraint," Chouhan told the women hockey players who called on him at his residence after he invited them, along with the team officials on Sunday morning.
Chouhan also announced that the state government will give Rs 1 lakh each on Monday to the women's hockey core group, comprising 40-odd players.
"Chouhan sported the black arm band and pledged all help to meet the demands of the players who are practising at the Regional Centre of Sport Authority of India (SAI) for the upcoming Commonwealth Games," team's Chief Coach M K Kaushik told PTI.
The women players have been wearing the black bands since last four days in the training session of a Commonwealth Games preparatory camp protesting non-payment of dues since April 2008 and demanding facilities akin to their male hockey counterparts.
Chouhan, who spent almost an hour with the officials and the players boosted their morale asking them to concentrate on their game to bring laurels to the country and assured that the Madhya Pradesh government will take care of all their needs, Kaushik said.
The team also opened an account with the Syndicate Bank on Wednesday and asked fans to support their cause to which a sum of Rs 89,000 has trickled in so far, Kaushik said.
Hockey India had offered them an initial compensation of 50,000 each but the players refused to accept it.
(With PTI inputs)