IPL mess: Pawar sad, blames Srinivasan

New Delhi, May 29: Former president of BCCI and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today expressed displeasure over the betting scandal that has hit the Indian cricket.

Holding Srinivasan accountable for the whole spot-fixing controversy, Pawar said that such situation would not have occurred, had he been the BCCI president.

Pawar, however, didn't speak on the resignation Srinivasan as the BCCI chief.

Without putting out his views, Pawar endorsed another former chief of BCCI Shashank Manohar's idea of getting the fixing and betting issue investigated by the Union home ministry. The investigation should look into all the matches played during the IPL.

"If the BCCI gives in writing to the Home Minister and request to investigate all the matches, the government can then investigate all the matches. They can interrogate anybody. They have legal sanction," Pawar said.

"If, however, the board does not accept it and says its own anti-corruption will do the job, I feel the board is not serious in dealing with the wrongdoings," the former BCCI chief said. "The anti-corruption unit of the BCCI has no authority," he said.

Pawar said the spot-fixing and betting scandal has "shaken the confidence" of fans.

"One has to go to the root of the problem. One has to take very effective, ruthless, corrective action against anybody at any level," Pawar said.

Meanwhile, BCCI treasurer Ajay Shirke today hinted that Srinivasan's continuance as BCCI president could raise a question mark over the "credibility" of the board.

"I am a very junior member of the board. Srinivasan is higher in stature and age. I don't think I need to advise him. The question is about the credibility of the board," a guarded Shirke said.

"We have to instill the confidence of people in the Board. Here the decision is a moral one and that is a very individual decision," he added.

Divided cricket administration

Against Srinivasan:

Agriculture minister and for president of BCCI Sharad Pawar: "If I was the BCCI President, this would have never happened... I brought unity in BCCI which wasn't there earlier... Feel sad, this matter should go to Home Ministry."

Parliamentary Affairs minister and IPL Commissioner Rajeev Shukla: "I met Arun Jaitley this morning. Credibility of the BCCI is supreme, as is the image of cricket. We will do our best for Indian cricket. Till the inquiry is pending, N Srinivasan should dissociate himself from the procedure. He will have to take that decision."

Union Sports Minister Jitendra Singh: "BCCI President should step down on moral grounds."

Statement issued by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: "The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has observed with considerable disquiet, the reports about match & spot fixing in cricket. BCCI is inquiring into allegations of match and spot fixing. As there is a conflict of interest in this inquiry, therefore BCCI President should tender his resignation on moral grounds, pending the outcome of the inquiry."

Union Minister and BCCI Finance Committee Chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia: "Let me say this that I am not assuming or saying that anyone is guilty. But considering the environment that is around cricket today, considering the fact that we do need to cleanse the sport in every single meaning of the word, I do believe that it would be in the fitness of things if Mr Srinivasan did step aside until this matter reached a conclusive end in terms of an inquiry."

Mumbai Cricket Association President Ravi Sawant: "If I was in Srinivasan's position, I would have quit"

Supporters of Srinivasan:

RJD Leader and Bihar Cricket Association chief Lalu Prasad Yadav: "There is no criminal liability on N Srinivasan, so he need not quit,"

Union Minister and National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah: "Srinivasan is an 'honourable man' and was under no pressure to quit because his son-in-law was being investigated for betting in Indian Premier League matches."

OneIndia News