Narendra Batra, the president of Indian Olympic Association (IOA), believes the sports ministry should allow the parents of India’s Olympian shuttlers Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu to accompany them at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018.

Talking about the issue, Batra slammed the sports ministry and said, “I don’t know why the sports ministry is not agreeing to clear the parents of Sindhu and Saina to accompany them at the CWG. The government is not going to bear their expenses.”

“These shuttlers are our big sporting stars now and we should be supporting them. If a Virat Kohli or a Sachin Tendulkar had wanted to do the same as Sindhu and Saina are requesting now, will they (ministry) say no to them also?” Batra further questioned government’s decision at the sidelines of the sending-off ceremony of India’s CWG contingent.

On Thursday, reports had emerged that Harvir Singh, Saina Nehwal’s father, and Vijaya Pursala, PV Sindhu’s mother, were going to Gold Coast on government expense after their name figured in the IOA list of officials.

However, a letter written by the Badminton Association of India (BAI) to IOA doesn’t mention their names anywhere.

BAI said on Thursday it was unfair to imply that parents of Saina and Sindhu were going to Commonwealth Games as part of the Indian contingent.

“It is absolutely false report. There is no truth in it and I think it is unfair on these two shuttlers, who bring laurels to the country,” said BAI secretary Anup Narang.

When Sindhu’s father PV Ramana was contacted, he said: “I have travelled with Sindhu to many tournaments and always with my own money. This time also we had requested BAI to allow Vijaya to travel on own money. So it hurts to know that some people are spreading these false news.”

Saina’s father Singh was clueless about the development and said he has never taken any undue advantage of his position and all his expenses are borne by his daughter.

“I’m going on my own. I know a professor at Gold Coast. So I will go to watch the Games as a spectator and I am not part of the contingent. Even when I went to Rio Games, I stayed in rented accommodation. So, I don’t know from where these reports are coming. It is unfortunate,” Harvir Singh said.

London Olympics bronze medallist Saina and Rio Games silver winner Sindhu are prime candidates to win the coveted gold at the Commonwealth Games.

-With PTI inputs.