Injured volleyball star experiences 'political volleys'

Volleyball player Arunima Sinha alias Sonu, who had lost her left leg after being thrown out of a moving train by unidentified miscreants, would have never thought that she could herself, one day, turn into a sort of “political volleyball” being tossed in and out of the court even as she was shifted to AIIMS for specialised treatment.

On Monday, the injured athlete was virtually mobbed by political personalities, including ministers, from different political parties. Though all of them assured her help, the “politicking” was evident very much.

Almost a week after the tragic incident, two ministers of the Mayawati government rushed to meet Sonu in the hospital here and that too when it was announced that Union Sports Minister Ajai Maken would be visiting the injured athlete on Monday. UP Congress chief Reeta Bahuguna Joshi also visited Sonu on Monday.

UP Sports Minister Ayodhya Prasad and Transport Minister Ram Achal Rajhbar, who is from Ambedkar Nagar, Sonu’s home district, also offered a job to Sonu and the state government later readied a special plane to fly her to AIIMS in Delhi for specialised treatment even though doctors, of the record, here said she was stable.

The state government also said it would bear all the expenditure on Sonu’s treatment.
According to the doctors, Sonu’s amputated leg had infection and was swollen.

“AIIMS has better facilities,” the doctors said. Family members of Sonu also insisted on her shifting to Delhi, sources said.

Maken, who met the athlete along with a team of specialists from the sports injury centre, said the doctors of CSM Medical University have told him that she could be treated here.

 He said the state government must apprehend those responsible for Sonu’s condition. He said the sports ministry would bear Sonu’s medical expenses.

Meanwhile, Sonu underwent another surgery on Sunday following severe infection in her severed limb.