The difference of opinion between the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and sports minister Anil Vij came to the fore once again when the former on Saturday inaugurated a cricket league here in spite of latter's rejection to a request of the organizer for using photographs of the CM and sports minister inadvertisement of the event.

The controversy erupted today when CM inaugurated Swarna Jayanti (Golden Jubilee) Haryana Premier League in city's Sector 16 Stadium, despite the fact that a file moved by the organizers seeking permission for using using CM and the minister's photographs was rejected by Vij on February 2.

Anil Vij said, “The file came to me seeking permission of using our photographs for the advertisement of the event and I have rejected it. Haryana sports department has no association with the event.”

When asked about the organizers using Haryana Swarna Jayanti logo forpromotion of the event despite Haryana Sports Department rejecting any association of with the event, Vij said, “Sports department has not granted any such permission. We are not promoting or organizing anysuch event. On top of me there are others in the government, if any other department is associated with the event, I am not aware of it.”

A file was moved by Panchkula based M/s Fair Play Sports Promotions seeking permission of using photos of CM and the Sports minister but it was rejected by Vij commenting that the matter was never decided inany meeting, hence it is rejected.

Sources revealed that the sports minister maintained distance with the sports league after coming to know about the association of some bookies with the event.

Differences between the CM Khattar and Vij are not new as earlier also the duo has locked horn over several issues. Vij had expressed his disappointment when officials of his department keeping him in loop invited the chief minister at a function. For which Vij tweeted, “Thank you chief minister for taking keen interest in my departments, I am relaxed.”

Over the appointment of actress Parineeti Chopra as brand ambassador of ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ programme by Chief Minister Khattar, Vij again openly expressed his displeasure saying that being the head of the department, he was never informed about the decision.

After miserable defeat of Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi Assembly election, Vij took a dig at Khattar by tweeting that instead of importing leaders, the party should promote its own leaders.Even

during the Jat agitation last year, Vij had strongly expressed his anger over the soft stand taken by the Chief Minister on the issue.

Recently, Khattar also distanced himself from a controversial remark of Vij about Mahatma Gandhi. Khattar said that such comments are not linked with the party.