New Delhi:
Taking a dig at the IOA for opposing a Sports Ministry regulation limiting tenures of its office-bearers, Olympian Pargat Singh on Wednesday said sports would be better served if the body focussed on resolving issues like the impending Hockey India elections.
"This fight is against the system and we will continue with our fight. They are asking for autonomy, what kind of autonomy are they talking about? Look at the dare, they are defying the sports ministry's order citing International Olympic Committee's charter," he said.
Pargat also fired a fresh salvo at Hockey India, accusing them of indulging in unfair practices and appointing people of their own choice in the respective state hockey associations.
Citing the example of Maharashtra Olympics Association and the affiliated Hockey Maharashtra, Pargat alleged that the person who had been accused of misleading MOA with false documents was reinstated as HMs secretary by HI secretary General Narendra Batra.
Providing documentary evidences to support his claims, the legendary player said, "On December 1, 2009, then HI president A K Mattoo had written a letter to Hockey Maharashtra informing that Victor Ellis and Ikram Khan have been appointed as the President and Secretary General of Hockey Maharashtra."
"On December 30, 2009, Maharashtra Olympics Association wrote that a letter of resolution was adopted by members of Bombay Hockey Association (BHA) regarding the merger of BHA in Maharashtra Hockey Association (MHA), which said MOA was pleased to affiliate the MHA as the state body of Maharashtra with Victor Ellis as its President and Ikram Khan as its secretary.
"That was written by Balasaheb Langde, Secretary, MOA, of which the copies were also sent to Suresh Kalmadi, President, IOA," Pargat said.
Pargat said on January 18, 2010, the MOA had written a letter to the Hockey India that Kehar Singh of Bombay Hockey Association has misled the MOA with false documents and got the affiliation transferred to Maharashtra Hockey Association.
"The letter said on hearing from other office bearers of MOA and the facts that came to our notice and two complaints against affiliation. Therefore, MOA cancels the affiliation accorded to the Maharashtra Hockey Association. Please do not allow any representatives to represent Maharashtra Hockey Association till our further correspondence," he said.
Pargat said the twist in the tale came when Hockey India Secretary General Narendra Batra, in a letter dated April 20, 2010 to Maharashtra Olympics Association, informed that Kehar Singh of the Bombay Hockey Association has been appointed Secretary of Hockey Maharashtra and Rekha Bhide as its president.
The letter said, "we further invite your attention to the order dated January 28, 2010 passed by the Bombay High Court in compliance with the said order that upon hearing each member of the association, we have decided to name following members to represent state of Maharashtra -- Rekha Bhide as president, Kehar Singh as secretary and B C Bhartia as treasurer."
"I failed to understand the logic behind this decision. First you lash out at someone, accuse him of wrongdoings and then you appoint the same person on the top post. That is really out of my mind," Pargat said.
"Mr Mattoo makes one decision and then Mr Batra makes another decision. HI and IOA are appointing people of their choices at will. They failed to explain what was the reason behind appointing Kehar Singh, whom they had accused earlier.
"This is not the case with the Maharashtra alone. It's with the Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Government and sports ministry is silent on all this foul play," he added.
He also renewed his demand to hold transparent Hockey India election at the earliest. Pargat said even three months after the Hockey World Cup here, no efforts have been made by the ad-hoc committee to initiate the process of holding democratic elections.
"HI is not interested in holding the elections before the May 31 deadline given by the FIH. This matter is going out of hands day by day. No body is moving an inch closer to have the elections. What is the ad-hoc committee doing, nobody knows. These people at the helm of affairs have made a mockery of the game," he said.
"In Punjab, we are running from pillar to post to get affiliation. Nobody is concerned about holding elections, not even the FIH now. They are happy with minting money through events in India.