Chandigarh, Aug. 6 -- Congress leader and MLA from Thanesar assembly in Haryana, Ashok Arora on Wednesday defended the erstwhile Haryana government's 'Padak Lao, Pad Pao' (Win a medal, get a job) policy, saying it played a crucial role in enabling athletes to focus solely on sporting excellence, after Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini reportedly dismissed the initiative as a mere slogan.

Reacting to the Chief Minister's remarks, Arora credited the policy for Haryana's sustained success in producing elite athletes and highlighted the state's contribution to India's performances at the Commonwealth Games.

"India's performance at the Commonwealth Games has been spectacular. I do not think it is right for the Chief Minister to dismiss the pr...