Dhindsa satisfied with
BCCI action

Onkar Singh

Board of Control for Cricket in India president A C Muthiah on Friday called on Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa at his office in Shastri Bhavan and briefed him about the action the board has taken against the tainted players. The two discussed issues emerging out of the CBI report on match-fixing in a closed door meeting for half an hour.

"We had a good meeting and the minister is happy with the action taken by us against the players. I have promised to take further action, depending upon the recommendations made by Mr K Madhavan, who has been appointed commissioner by the board.

"I gave a copy of the letter of suspension of the players to the minister. I have also appraised him of the board's displeasure about some of the remarks made by the CBI in its report against the board. Once we receive the report from the commissioner, Madhavan, who was a joint director with the CBI, the matter will be taken up by the disciplinary committee of the board and later it will be approved by the working committee," Muthiah told waiting newsmen after the meeting.

Dhindsa said he is satisfied with the prompt action taken by the BCCI against the players named by the CBI in its report.

"They have told me that the players will not be selected for domestic cricket by any of the state cricket associations. They have also promised to come back to me in 15 days and tell me what further action they plan to take against the named players once they receive the report from Mr Madhavan, former joint director of CBI," he said.

When asked by a scribe what he will do if the BCCI takes more time, he added: "I have no reason to believe that they might take more time than promised. If they do, then I will call them again."

Dhindsa denied that the government had plans to take over the cricket board. "The government has no such intention. But at the same time I want the board to be made accountable to the people of India and nation at large. After all, the players play for the country and the BCCI makes money because of this," he explained.

He said at the moment there is no plan to take back national awards bestowed on the tainted players. "Let us see what kind of report the BCCI comes out with from its internal inquiry. Then we will think what to do next," Dhindsa declared.

Has he cleared the forthcoming tour of the Indian team to Pakistan?

"We have received a request from the board about this and the government will take action on it according to the prevailing circumstances," he said.

But Pakistan is ready to tour India in case India cannot go there....

"It means one and the same thing. The external affairs ministry will take a decision on this matter after consulting my ministry," he said.

Informed that Muthiah has claimed that the government will give the necessary clearance next week, Dhindsa clarified: "We have not set up any time frame for the clearance of the Indian cricket team's tour to Pakistan."

Asked what has been the feedback of the people, Dhindsa said he has been getting congratulatory messages from various parts of India. "They have appreciated bold action against the players who had maligned the game," he said.

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Mail Cricket Editor