He minces no words. He always batted with aggression and maintained his stance when dealing with public issues.
Kirti Azad, Member of Parliament and a former Test batsman, has now launched a tirade against some individuals in cricket.
A staunch critic of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Azad blamed the tournament for the ills plaguing the game.
‘Get rid of it’
“The BCCI should get rid of IPL. It should also rid itself of the self-serving politicians and ‘committed cricketers’ in their various committees, who are nothing but mute spectators whose job is to only defend BCCI when it is faced with any criticism.
“I must remind that charity begins at home. Hope the BCCI amends its constitution regarding fixing.
“The most interesting part is that BCCI has formed its own committee to investigate its own misdeeds.”
On the issue of Board president N. Srinivasan not resigning from his post on moral grounds, following allegations against his son-in-law(Gurunath Meiyappan) for links with bookies, Azad responded: “More than me, this should be answered by these people who sit in the Parliament and State assemblies and demand resignations from corrupt members, even from the Prime Minister. Why are they silent now?
“Politicians of all hues have jumped into BCCI and jockeyed for positions amongst themselves.”
He added: “I heard today that (Farooq) Abdullah said there was no need for him to resign. I can understand his compulsions very well. He is the president of the JKCA (Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association), where he needs the support of Srinivasan for survival.
“It is a case of ‘I scratch your back and you scratch mine.”’
The Board, asserted Azad, “is made up of politicians and lawyers who talk of morality and probity in public life.
“Why don’t they go and lodge an FIR themselves. In the best interest of cricket they should come out clean, express their views and let the people judge where they stand.”
Blaming the BCCI for the dent in cricket’s image, Azad, insisted “the administrators have become conscious of the huge money-spinning potential of cricket.
“All kinds of seedy characters have made a beeline to somehow get involved in cricket without ever having held a cricket bat or ball in their lives.”
Azad asked “How else do you explain politicians from different parties working hand in hand, for the ‘up-liftment of cricket’ and not the country?
“Ministers and senior politicians, who should be addressing the people’s problems, are leaving their imprints of indecisiveness on cricket administration as well.
“The ‘ostrich-like’ attitude of politicians in solving problems can be best summarised in their contributions in various Committees and IPL, so far.”
Not sparing former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi, Azad observed, “A fly-by-night failed industrialist comes and offers BCCI mega bucks. The BCCI gives him the chance to float IPL. The Government does not agree to provide security in the second edition, this cheeky guy changes plans and takes IPL to South Africa, breaking all rules relating to FEMA, RBI etc. in the bargain.
“What has happened to the report into those allegations?”
Mocking the Board’s measures to check corruption, Azad said, it was “comical to see Mr. (Arun) Jaitley and (Rajeev) Shukla going to the Law Minister ‘requesting him to bring a tough law to curb malpractices in cricket’ — comical because the same Rajeev Shukla along with his colleagues, all bigwigs in Congress, stalled amendments in the Sports Bill drafted by their own Minister of Sports, Ajay Maken, and shot it down in the Cabinet Meeting, within minutes.”
