Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to inaugurate the 3rd edition of the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), BJP said on Wednesday evening.
Earlier, sources told Outlook that PM Modi will not attend the opening ceremony even as protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Assam and other parts of the northeast continue unabated. In his absence, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will inaugurate the ceremony.
However, the official confirmation from the KIYG organisers is yet to come.
“We haven’t received any message from the Prime Minister's Office in this regard so far,” said the KIYG CEO, Avinash Joshi.
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During a press conference last month, Joshi had told reporters they had extended the invitation to the Prime Minister to be the chief guest during the inaugural ceremony.
All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), the influential students' body which has been vocal against the CAA, had warned that if the PM attends the event, he would have to face huge protests.
The KIYG is slated to start from January 10 to January 22. More than 10,000 players, coaches and officials will be in the city to participate in the event.
KIYG is a national-level multidisciplinary grassroots game held in India since 2018 in a bid to encourage sporting scene in the country.
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In a first for a sporting talent identification event, the Centre has declared the Khelo India Games as an event of national importance.
