“This fight is against the system and we will continue with our fight. They are asking for autonomy, what kind of autonomy are they talking about? They are defying the sports ministry’s order citing International Olympic Committee’s charter,” he said.
Pargat also fired a fresh salvo at Hockey India, accusing them of indulging in unfair practices and appointing people of their own choice in the respective state hockey associations.
Citing the example of Maharashtra Olympics Association and the affiliated Hockey Maharashtra, Pargat alleged that the person who had been accused of misleading MOA with false documents was reinstated as HMs secretary by HI secretary General Narendra Batra. “This is not the case with Maharashtra alone. It’s with Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The Government and sports ministry is silent on all this foul play,” he added.
He also renewed his demand to hold transparent Hockey India election at the earliest. Pargat said even three months after the Hockey World Cup here, no efforts have been made by the ad-hoc committee to initiate the process of holding democratic elections.
“HI is not interested in holding the elections before the May 31 deadline given by the FIH. This matter is going out of hands day by day. No body is moving an inch closer to have the elections. What is the ad-hoc committee doing? The people at the helm of affairs have made a mockery of the game,” he said. “In Punjab, we are running from pillar to post to get affiliation. Nobody is concerned about holding elections, not even the FIH now. They are happy with minting money through events in India.”
PTI
