Earned jobs with legitimate medals

Vijayawada: Teachers appointed through sports quota in DSC recruitment have strongly rejected allegations that their appointments were based on fake certificates, asserting that they had earned their sporting credentials through years of hard work and by winning medals in recognised competitions.

Speaking at a round table meeting held here on Sunday, the teachers said they were deeply hurt by what they described as deliberate and false publicity by some television channels and political leaders. They appealed to those making the allegations to verify their certificates and sporting records before making such claims.

The teachers said they had faced several difficulties and injuries while participating in sports and worked hard to reach the level at which they secured government employment. “Being called fake after coming this far is more painful than the suffering we experienced when we were injured during sporting events,” they said.

They clarified that their appointments were made under horizontal reservation system applicable to the sports quota and said there was nothing unusual about two members of the same family securing jobs if both were eligible.

The teachers also objected to allegations that jobs were given to candidates, who did not know the game of bridge and had merely played cards. They said bridge is a recognised sporting discipline and has nothing to do with gambling or the kind of card playing being portrayed in the allegations. “Perhaps those making such allegations may have played cards and entered politics, but sports and gambling should not be confused,” they said.

They pointed out that direct recruitment is also followed in several Central government departments and cited the Postal Department, IT-related services, DRDO and Railways as examples. During the meeting, teachers displayed photographs and videos of themselves receiving certificates from former Sports Minister Roja and former SAAP chairman Byreddy Siddharth Reddy. They recalled that after winning medals in softball, they had been invited and felicitated by Roja and Byreddy Siddharth Reddy at Kondapalli Fort. Photographs and videos of the felicitation were also screened at the meeting.

Former serviceman Chakrapani Reddy said he had been subjected to humiliating remarks and expressed anguish over the allegations. He said only those who had worked hard and studied to secure employment would understand the value of a government job.

The teachers urged television channels, political leaders and others to verify the authenticity of their certificates and recruitment records before making allegations and appealed to them not to politicise their sporting achievements and careers.

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