6th National Parliamentarians Badminton Tournament begins at Constitution Club of India
New Delhi, August 6
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday attended the inauguration of the 6th National Parliamentarians Badminton Tournament at the Constitution Club of India, saying the event promotes friendship, unity and interaction among Members of Parliament across party lines.
Addressing reporters, Rijiju said the tournament, organised by the Constitution Club of India, had drawn participation from MPs of different political parties and age groups.
"The Constitution Club of India, run collectively by our former and sitting MPs, has organised an excellent event -- the 6th Parliamentarian Badminton Championship. This is a national-level event. I have observed MPs from various parties and different age groups participating. This is a wonderful thing," Rijiju said.
He said the tournament also provides an opportunity for former MPs to interact with current lawmakers and strengthens the spirit of camaraderie beyond political differences.
"I have also noticed that the Constitution Club of India is managing the entire event in a simple yet highly effective way. It also provides an opportunity for former MPs to connect with current MPs. The spirit of friendship and unity here is excellent. This is crucial in politics," the minister added.
BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy also highlighted the camaraderie among parliamentarians, saying the tournament brings MPs together beyond political differences.
"Today was the launch of the National Parliamentarians Badminton Tournament, which was inaugurated by Kiren Rijiju, who is the Parliamentary Affairs Minister. My colleague Premachandran and the governing body members were present here, and large numbers of Members of Parliament have participated across party lines," Rudy told reporters.
"Irrespective of what happens in Parliament, there is a great bonhomie here outside Parliament, and this is one place in the Constitution Club which is known for its performance, for its friendship, for taking the MPs along," he added.
Congress MP and BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla also shared glimpses from the event on Instagram, writing, "Inauguration of Badminton tournament of MPs at Constitution Club of India."
Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MP NK Premachandran praised the Constitution Club of India for promoting sports and other activities among parliamentarians, saying the governing body is considering expanding similar initiatives to states.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 6th National Parliamentarians Badminton Tournament, Premachandran praised the leadership of Constitution Club President and BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
He said the Constitution Club has developed world-class facilities and regularly organises extracurricular activities for members.
"The chairman or the president of the club, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, is doing wonderful and exemplary work as far as this club is concerned... I have heard that the gym in the Constitution Club is one of the world's best gyms that we have installed. Similarly, the swimming pool, badminton tournament, and so many other extracurricular activities are being conducted by the Constitution Club of India," he said.
"Today we had the governing board meeting, and we are even thinking of enlarging these activities even to the states if the states are agreeable to having such a Constitution Club by the members of the Legislative Assembly in the respective states. We are also planning to expand the activities; so many members have suggested that way as well," he added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great initiative! Sports has always been a great unifier. If our MPs can play together, maybe they can also work together on important issues. The idea of expanding this to state legislatures is brilliant - our MLAs need such bonding opportunities too.
Impressive to see bipartisan participation. In many countries, such tournaments are common and help build personal relationships that transcend political differences. India's democracy benefits from such informal interactions. Good to see Kiren Rijiju promoting this.
The Constitution Club has been a great institution for decades. Happy to see it being revitalized with such activities. But I hope this camaraderie also translates into more constructive debates in Parliament. We need less disruption and more discussion, yaar. 🤔
Such a wonderful tradition! MPs playing badminton together shows they can be friends despite political differences. This sets a great example for the youth of our country. Sportsmanship and democracy go hand in hand!
Nice initiative but let's not make too much noise about it. These are just photo-ops for many MPs. The real test is whether they can pass good legislation when they're back in the House. Still, any effort to build bonhomie is welcome. 👏
A Aditi M < We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.