Angry Batra slams Sports Ministry

“We were pressurised by the Sports Ministry to grant affiliation to Punjab. They didn’t deserve it but under pressure we had to oblige despite there were disputes in the state unit,” Batra told reporters here.

“Sports Ministry of Government of India is behaving like Sports Ministry of Government of Punjab. In no other state unit, they have shown such interest. This goes on to show a systematic calumny against HI and its office bearers. I don’t know what agenda they have but it is certainly unfair,” he added.

Batra also went on to say that former HI president AK Mattoo resigned because he could not put up with the constant harassment by the Sports Ministry.

Meanwhile, demanding the resignation of the officials of crisis-hit Hockey India, Olympian Gurbax Singh Grewal and two senior administrators on Monday appealed to the Government to take over the body to succesfully host the World Cup next month in New Delhi.
In an appeal to Union Sports Minister MS Gill, Grewal, former HI Secretary Aslam Khan and Karnataka Hockey President RS Shetty said succesful conduct of the World Cup was important in the context of the Commonwealth Games to be hosted by India later this year.
Criticising the present set up in the HI, they said the officials, including Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi, would bring “bad repute” to the country.