JOIN USA day after he was sacked as CWG OC chairman by the new sports minister Ajay Maken, Kalmadi remained defiant and said that only the Indian Olympic Association, which has appointed him to the post, has the power to remove him.
He said that he would hand over the charge of OC chairman to the Chief Executive Jarnail Singh — as has been told to do by the Sports Minister — under protest. “I am shocked to receive Order dated 24th January 2011, illegally and arbitrarily removing me from the position of Chairman of the Executive Board and the Organizing Committee of the Commonwealth Games,” Kalmadi wrote in a letter to Maken.
“Without prejudice to my rights and contention and in furtherance of my letter wherein it has been stated that the order is illegal and without any jurisdiction, I am handing the charge under protest,” he said.
Kalmadi contested the Sports Ministry’s reasoning that he was removed from his post to ensure “unhindered” probe into alleged corruption in the conduct of the CWG, claiming that he and the OC officials have been cooperating with the various investigating agencies.
“At the outset it is important for me to point out that I have extended all possible cooperation to all investigating agencies, including the CBI. Further, I have even specifically directed the entire OC, including the CEO, to whom all FA heads report since 2009, to extend all assistance possible to the CBI and cooperate with them to the fullest extent.
“I have even written to the CBI stating I am available to assist them at any given point of time. In light of the above, the concerns expressed by the CBI are unfounded and the Order dated 24th January 2011 is uncalled for,” he said.