IOA invites Rahul Gandhi to carry Olympic torch

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has invited Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to carry the Olympic torch during its relay in Delhi on April 17.

IOA President Suresh Kalmadi, who is attending a meeting of the International Olympic Committee’s executive board in Beijing, told CNN-IBN he has written a letter to a “number of young MPs” and would personally invite them to carry the torch when he returns to India.

“Yes, I have written a letter to him (Rahul Gandhi) but I am yet to meet him personally and invite him. I have also invited a number of young MPs, including Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada and Sachin Pilot. I have to yet meet them personally,” said Kalmadi.

“I have been talking to a lot of people here in Beijing. All the (national Olympic) committees of the world are here and they look up to India to revive the spirit of the torch. I have told them that if there is any dissent that can be in a non-violent manner. It’s not a Chinese torch relay but of the International Olympic Committee,” he said.

Fearing trouble from Tibetan protestors, the IOA has already shortened the route of the Olympic torch relay. The original 8-9 km run from Red Fort to India Gate has been shortened to 2-3 km.

Courtesy:ibnlive.com
Complete artical HERE