DU Law student files PIL to make sports a Fundamental Right

New Delhi: To create a sort of sports movement in the country, a Delhi law student has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to the Supreme Court seeking sports a fundamental right, stating that it can at least solve moral degradation and cases of suicide among the budding sportspersons in the country.

The PIL also sought directives to various agencies to frame law on sports, which could offer a solution to such issues plaguing the society.

"The PIL has sought directive to government and various stakeholders to evolve a sporting culture in the country, which has been in the line of the new initiative by the government which has started "Khelo India Campaign"," said in a statement by Kanishka Pandey, who filed the PIL.

Moreover, Sports: A way of life, a non-governmental organisation, wrote a letter to HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, saying, "There is a need to define the role of sports from an early education stage to the higher education level. In order to make sports a culture, universities need to come forward and take the leadership role in this mission. So far, sports affiliation in universities only revolves around sports departments and sports brands."

The letter further mentioned that the students from universities have failed miserably in understanding the value of sports in their lives and the onus lies with their parents, teachers, and curriculum from the childhood till their current education level. "Today, there is an urgent need to correct the mistakes, the rectification can be done at the university level by propagating sports philosophy, besides of sports to these students and by introducing sports as a subject and making it part of the university curriculum," the letter reads.

The letter further reads that universities should make efforts to provide regular sports facilities to the active players associated with the various sports, and in second, a large number of students, who are isolated from the game have to be made acquainted with the importance of sports, its vision, its benefits. For this there, should be mandatory subsidiary subjects on sports for every student of BA, BCom, BSc, B Ed, M Ed, medical engineering.

"Keeping in mind the limitation of such initiative, which does not have backing of the existing law of the land, the PIL has sought directives from the court to the legislature to amend the constitution and incorporate laws on sports in Fundamental Right and Directive Principles and Fundamental Duties of the Constitution besides change in service rule of the government employees as well as change in education policy of this country where sports should be given due importance. Right to sports be made mandatory as it will help us achieve the right to health," said in the statement from NGO, Sports: A way of life.

The statements further read that it should be included in right to life as right to life does not mean mere animal existence but a dignified life. It also encapsulate within its ambit providing every one with an opportunity to grow, attain overall personality development. Sports has been an integral tool personality enhancement."