Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi, April 08: In his first interaction with the reporters since he was inducted into the Council of Ministers as a Minister of State holding Independent charge of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government, MS Gill blamed the influence of cricket for the neglect of other sports in the country.
“Other sports have suffered because of cricket”, he said.
Speaking to a private news channel, Gill brushed aside claims raised by the opposition over his accession to the post of a minister, having served earlier as an Election Commissioner. “It’s PM’s prerogative to appoint me. My responsibility is to serve to the best of my ability,” he said.
After retiring as the Chief Election Commissioner, Gill was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab as a Congress candidate. Gill, a renowned agriculture expert and a retired IAS officer is also credited with contributing to his native place Tarn Taran by bringing various development projects and getting it district status.
Having been the Chief Election Commissioner Gills brings immense administrative experience to the post. His inclusion into the Council of Ministers is therefore being seen as a part of Government’s effort to ensure that the preparation for the Delhi Commonwealth Games to be held in 2010 is completed on time.
First Published: Tuesday, April 08, 2008, 00:00