New Delhi:
With the controversy over IPL raging, BCCI Vice-President Rajiv Shukla met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today. This was the second meeting Shukla, who is also a Congress MP, had with the Prime Minister in the last three days.
"How can I disclose what transpired between me and my leader?" Shukla asked while talking to reporters here. The meeting comes in the backdrop of reports that the Prime Minister was concerned over the issue. "The Prime Minister is our leader and we keep meeting him," he said replying to questions.
Asked to comment on IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi's refusal to resign, Shukla said the Governing Council would not hesitate to take hard decisions to protect its image, which has taken a hit due to allegations of financial irregularities. "If situation demands tough decisions, they would be taken when the IPL's Governing Council meets on April 26," he said.
Modi, who is facing allegations of financial irregularities and favouring family and friends in franchise
bids, has so far refused to step down from his post despite mounting pressure. "The question of people refusing to back down or not, they don't matter. After the meeting between BCCI President Shashank Manohar and Sharad Pawar yesterday, it has been decided that in the April 26 Governing Council meeting, we will sit together and unanimously decide what to do," Shukla told reporters.
"These decisions would in the interest of cricket and the BCCI. No matter how harsh they might seem, decisions would be taken to protect the BCCI and cricket's image in the country. We have never compromised on our image in the past 60 years and there would be no compromise this time too," he added.
On government's role with regard to the IPL issue, Shukla said the issue was raised in Parliament and so the government has to take cognisance of it.
The skeletons started tumbling out after Modi's tweets on the shareholding pattern of the new Kochi franchise disclosed that former junior foreign minister Shashi Tharoor's close friend Sunanda Pushkar had a 'sweat equity' worth Rs 70 crore in the team.
Tharoor had to resign as a result but Modi is also in trouble after damaging revelations of his alleged 'silent' stakes in at least three IPL teams. Besides, Modi is also facing accusations of money laundering and betting in the IPL.
A concerned BCCI has been in damage control mode ever since and there are indications that the Board's top brass wants Modi out after the IPL ends on April 25.