How are sons of Bindra, Pandove, Walia PCA members, but not us, ask ex-players

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 30

The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) has come under fire for allegedly violating the Supreme Court’s orders in the appointment of its office-bearers after its recent annual general meeting.

The Pun Cricket Players Association (PCPA), a body of former international and national cricketers, has expressed its anger that they’ve not been made members of PCA, despite the Supreme Court’s orders. They are upset that while cricketers are ignored, sons of influential former office-bearers are among the voting members of PCA.

“Former PCA president IS Bindra’s son Amarinder Bindra, former president MP Pandove’s son Kunal and brother RP Pandove, and former secretary GS Walia’s son Abhijit Singh are voting members of PCA,” PCPA said in a statement today.

“We cricketers who have actually played for Punjab or India are not members of PCA but the sons of former officials are permanent members!” said Rakesh Handa, PCPA secretary.

“We at PCPA wish to know what are the norms followed to make the sons of senior office-bearers members of PCA,” he said. “They’ve made more members from among their relatives and friends. We will bring this to the notice of BCCI’s Committee of Administrators (CoA).”

Independent Ombudsman?

PCPA also raised serious questions over the appointment of PCA’s new ombudsman, BK Mehta. PCPA president Bhupinder Singh (Sr) has written to CoA about Mehta’s appointment. “Sh BK Mehta remained executive member of PCA for more than 20 years, and was president of Ferozepur district (affiliate unit of PCA) till recently, despite being a non-cricketer,” Bhupinder Singh said. “The ombudsman of PCA should be an independent person to do justice to his job,” he added. “Due to his long history of being a PCA office-bearer, I don’t think he is the right person for the job of ombudsman.”

Sons and relatives

Why do officials bring in their sons or relatives into supposedly democratic bodies? It is to perpetuate their power, said former Punjab player and India captain Bishan Singh Bedi. “They bring their children or relatives in because they want to stay in control by hook or crook,” said Bedi. “It’s not cricket — this phrase is used to signify something that is wrong or morally indefensible. This phrase is used only for cricket because cricket signified good values. But these administrators don’t stand for good values.”

“The sons of former officials will be dummies, they will be taking their orders from the crooks behind the scenes,” Bedi said. “It’s time Punjab’s first class cricketers stood up and raised their voices. Someone has to put a stop to the tyranny of the officials.”