Yogeshwar defends Neeraj in controversy over invitation to Arshad Nadeem

India’s golden boy of athletics Neeraj Chopra has found himself surrounded by controversy over his invitation to Paris Olympics gold medal winner Arshad Nadeem for his NC Classic javelin event set to take place next month in Bengaluru. The controversy sparked after the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that took the lives of 26 tourists. After the attack, multiple people on social media started to question Neeraj’s patriotism and support for the nation. Things took an ugly turn when Neeraj was informed that his family was even getting death threats. While Neeraj made a post addressing the issue by saying that he will always put his family and nation above anything else and that Arshad’s presence at the event was out of the question after the Pahalgam incident. 

 

A day after Neeraj’s post, former Olympic medallist and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt also took the social media route to voice his support for Neeraj. He called Neeraj a soldier and told him that he does not need to prove his patriotism to anyone.

 

Yogeshwar Dutt voices support for Neeraj 

Soon after Neeraj’s statement, Olympic medal-winning wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt came out in strong support of the javelin thrower. In a message shared on social media, Dutt said that Neeraj did not need to prove his patriotism to anyone.

 

Yogeshwar praised Neeraj, saying that only a sportsperson or a soldier has the honour of raising the Tricolour abroad and making the country proud. He pointed out that Neeraj, being both a soldier and an athlete, has consistently brought glory to India. Dutt criticised those attacking Neeraj, describing them as ideologically shallow individuals who neither understand patriotism nor have genuine concern for the nation.

 

Encouraging Neeraj to continue his journey undeterred, Dutt called him a true champion and a leader of the nation.

 

Neeraj Chopra stands firm amidst controversy 

Despite the negativity directed at him, Neeraj Chopra’s response remained measured and dignified. He made it clear that sports must be seen as a unifying force and that his actions were purely in the spirit of athletic camaraderie.

 

Reaffirming his loyalty to India, Neeraj expressed his hope that the nation’s response to the Pahalgam attack would reflect its strength and commitment to justice.