It was a trial by the media: Srinivasan

Full text of BCCI President N Srinivasan's statement

Having successfully warded off a potential revolt within the BCCI, N Srinivasan faced an intense grilling by the media.

The Board president, among other questions, was asked if it was moral on his part to continue in the top job even after his son-in-law and Chennai Super Kings’ official Gurunath Meiyappan was taken into custody by the Mumbai police for his alleged involvement in betting. The excerpts.

On allowing CSK to play the final: Excuse me, there is no allegation to my knowledge against the CSK team. I think the public will disagree with you and I think your stadium is sold out. This may be your personal view but I think the people of Kolkata (want to watch the match). I am told that the stadium is sold out and there are no tickets available and people are clamoiring for tickets. I think they are answering you.

On Gurunath Meiyappan’s role: You see, we have appointed a commission. The commission will determine this aspect also. And he has been approached, he has been travelling with the team, he is enthusiastic, fine. But what his role was, whether it transcended any rule... I have already read out the statement saying that the commission that is appointed will also deal with it. So I don’t want to say anything on it. There is an enquiry commission to go into it.

On Meiyappan’s profile on twitter that said he was the team principal: I have nothing to say. I am not going to sit and explain to you what his role was. India Cements, I understand, has already issued a statement on what his role was or what his role was not. And again I repeat, all these questions of yours, the commission will look into it. I have already said I have distanced myself, I will not be part of that appointment, I will not be part of the deliberations, I will not be part of the decision. I don’t think it is necesary for me to go further on this.

On no one in the BCCI demanding his resignation: It was a trial by the media for me (by) all the newspapers, TV channels... All they were discussing was my resignation, that I should resign.

On if it was basically the media responsible: It’s not that I am anti-media. I stay by myself, I am a reasonably private person. But in this case, in this instance, I think the attention that has been given, the opinions that have been solicited from the type of people, I think it leaves a lot to be desired. That’s all I will say. People should understand, I don’t want to say anything more.

On Sharad Pawar’s party asking for resignation: I don’t have to respond to that. No member of the BCCI has asked for my resignnation, No. 1. And secondly, the NCP is not a member of the BCCI. So I don’t think I need to respond to that. I have responded by saying I have no intention of resigning.