JOIN USAmong those who are demanding a change at the top following Kalmadi’s arrest is Union Sports Minister Ajay Maken who said on Monday that he would direct the IOA to select a new president to replace the tainted Kalmadi. The minister threatened intervention by the Ministry if the IOA failed to act.
“What we have decided in the Sports Ministry is that as soon as the official arrest of Suresh Kalmadi is announced by the CBI, we are going to write to the IOA that they should elect a new head,” Maken said minutes before Kalmadi’s arrest. He also said his ministry would seek the advice of the Attorney General (AG) in this regard.
“We would also be writing to the Attorney General seeking his legal advice. The government can also take action on its own if the IOA fails to take any action against him. If required, we will take action on our own. We will first write to the IOA to remove him, elect a president and simultaneously we would also write to the AG to give us some advice on the matter,” the sports minister said.
“It is up to the IOA to take a step for the interest of the country. The IOA president represents the country and somebody who is chargesheeted cannot serve the purpose. I am hopeful that sports ministry's steps will also be backed by the IOC,” he said.
Kalmadi’s close aides — former OC secretary general Lalit Bhanot and former director general V K Verma — were arrested in February. “Last week, we formally received the report from the Shunglu Committee from the Cabinet Secretariat and based on that we referred the matter to the CBI again to take action against those found guilty by the Shunglu Committee,” Maken said.