Chennai: Mehmood Abdi, authorized representative of the Rajasthan cricket Association (RCA) for BCCI meetings has expressed anguish and dismay at the manner in which the RCA has been treated by the President BCCI N. Srinivasan at the Chennai meeting.
In a media release issued here on Saturday, Abdi said that a working committee meeting was convened by President BCCI on 28th December 2013 at Chennai without any agenda. However, from media reports it became apparent that a decision against RCA may be taken in the said working committee meeting. Apprehending such illegal action the RCA authorized Mehmood Abdi to appear and present its version and objection to any such move at the BCCI meeting.
After passing of the resolution on 27th Decmeber,13 by the RCA executive committee authorizing Abdi to attend the meeting the officiating secretary RCA had informed BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel about the nomination of Mehmood Abdi As RCA’s representative and the fact that he will be attending the meeting on behalf of RCA.
However, when Abdi reached the venue of the meeting half an hour prior to the start of the meeting. He was surprised to find the venue of the meeting surrounded by overwhelming number of private security guards (bouncers) who blocked his way and physically prevented him from entering the meeting hall. Despite repeated requests Abdi was not informed the grounds or the reasons because of which he was being prevented from entering the meeting hall. All his queries to the security personnel were replied with only one answer that his entry was barred by “the saheb”.
Throughout the meeting Abdi waited with the expectation that his requests to attend the meeting would be placed before the committee. However, as the matter was predetermined by the president not even the request of RCA to attend the meeting was placed before the committee.
So far as the ostensible grievance of BCCI that RCA has permitted Mr. Lalit Modi to contest the elections of RCA and thus has committed misconduct is concerned the same is absolutely frivolous to the knowledge of the president BCCI. For the reason that RCA is governed by the Rajasthan Sports act and the Rules and has its own bye laws under which Lalit Modi has not incurred any disqualification. This fact, has also been held by the two judges appointed by the supreme court as observers to conduct the RCA elections.
RCA officiating secretary by his communication earlier today has sought an apology from President and secretary BCCI in this regard and has also sought to know the name of the person on whose instructions Abdi was prevented from attending the meeting.
The entire episode reflects a very disturbing trend of intolerance and muffling the dissenting voices in BCCI. This incident should act as an eye opener for other members. This behavior does not befit any democratic institution.
Abdi has said that the President BCCI Shri N.Srinivasan should keep away from any decision making process relating to RCA for the reason that because of his old enmity with Mr Modi he cannot act fairly or rationally in matters relating to Modi. The very fact that even before the declaration of the RCA election results action is being contemplated against RCA for permitting Mr Modi to contest the elections shows the extent of Srinvasan’s bias and enmity against Mr Modi.
He further added that a special general meeting of BCCI should be immediately convened to take a decision on the competence of Srinivasan to be associated with RCA issues especially in the view that RCA authorized representative Mehmood has filed FIR in Jaipur against him and his son in law Mayappan for match fixing and also deposed against them before the Hon’ble supreme court appointed Justice Mukul Mudgal committee investigating into such allegations of match fixing against them.
“All these facts and elements of bias have completely clouded the rational decision making capacity of BCCI President N. Srinivasan in the matters even remotely connected with Lalit Modi and RCA. There is an urgent need to dissociate him from all such decision making processes,” said the release.
