BCCI's autonomy increasingly vulnerable

The Board of Control for Cricket in India's position as an autonomous sports body has never been in greater danger. For most of the 71 years of its existence, it has enjoyed a special status. Not having to depend on the government for financial or any other kind of assistance, it has enjoyed freedom from bureaucratic interference. The token appeal for the grant of foreign exchange or the routine approval for an Indian cricket team to go abroad apart, there has been little inter-action between the BCCI administrators and government officials.

To a point, this kind of freedom is to be encouraged. But then power can lead to corruption and inefficiency. And while the BCCI has earned for itself loads of money - enough to turn itself into the world's richest cricket body according to some reports - it has not exactly earned a name for bold thinking or a pragmatic approach. Still, it is not as if the BCCI has done nothing to promote the game or encourage the players in the country. And it is also true that its voice is heard at the International Cricket Council.

Over the past seven decades then, the game has alternately prospered and floundered under the BCCI's aegis. But whenever the scenario has really become confused or the handling absolutely clumsy, the government has felt obliged to intervene. In 1958-59 for example, the poor performance of the Indian team against West Indies at home - fuelled by some petty minded officials - had its echo in Parliament and the government was forced to ask the BCCI to take another look at its functioning and the selection policies. A similar scenario was repeated in 1974 following the Indian team's disastrous tour of England. Besides a slipshod showing on the field, there were a couple of unsavoury incidents off it too and the government had to intervene to satisfy agitated members of Parliament. Even as recently as 1998, the Board earned the wrath of the president of the Indian Olympic Association Suresh Kalmadi for sending a sub standard team for the Commonwealth Games at Kuala Lumpur. The team failed miserably and questions were asked all over again.

But except for these occasional slaps on the wrist, the government has not directly interfered with the basic style of functioning of the Board, its financial dealings or selectorial policies. The slaps just serve to remind the BCCI officials not to take things absolutely for granted, that they could be pulled up if they go above board. But one must say that in the wake of the match fixing scandal, the BCCI's freedom and autonomy have never been more vulnerable. The Board is being besieged from all angles. It has been assailed both for the recent pathetic performances of the Indian team and for not doing anything to curb the menace of match fixing. Its financial dealings have come under the microscope. It's secretary has become a laughing stock for frequently putting his foot in his mouth or for making inane observations.

As if all this is not enough, there is also a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the BCCI in a New Delhi high court. Admitted on April 20, it is scheduled to come up for hearing today. The PIL has been filed by Shantanu Sharma, a lawyer and Rahul Mehra, a businessman, both very keen fans of the game who ``cannot bear to see the BCCI hold Indian cricket to ransom with their nefarious ways.''

Sharma and Mehra have done their homework well before filing the PIL. It is learnt that they have gathered hard evidence and the BCCI is said to be so nervous that it has hired one of the country's leading lawyers in KK Venugopal. But this has not deterred Sharma and Mehra, who are alleged to have collected evidence against the BCCI which is `incriminating'. The PIL contains detailed accounts of discrepancies in the sale of TV rights by the BCCI, irregularities in terms of guarantee money received by the Board, excessive commercialisation of the sport, the pathetic state of pitches in India, miserable ground conditions, lack of accountability of the BCCI and its office bearers, arbitary zonal representation of players and many other issues.

Basically, the petitioners in their PIL have charged the BCCI with being entirely unconcerned about the growth and betterment of the game in the country - which they argue is the primary reason for its existence - as opposed to being interested only in their own personal welfare. Prominent among the issues debated in the PIL are glaring discrepancies in the BCCI's accounts and financial dealings. The petitioners argue that there should be an investigation into the accounts of the BCCI for at least five years, the accounts should be transparent and shall be audited by the CAG or any other independent orgnisation of auditors in the country. They further argue that income tax and entertainment tax exemptions and lease of stadia should be withdrawn unless the BCCI functions in a transparent and accountable manner and unless they re-organise themselves so that they work to promote the object for which which it was created. Stating that the BCCI has fixed deposits worth Rs 48 crore, the petitioners ask why this money cannot be spent for the growth and development of the game in the country. The petitioners are being represented by former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan.

But perhaps the most severe blow to the BCCI in recent times has been dealt by the government. Never before has any minister been so strident in his attack on the Board as the current Sports Minister SS Dhindsa. Ever since the match fixing scandal broke, he has never missed a chance to criticise the BCCI. After he met with players and Board officials in New Delhi on April 27 to discuss the crisis arising out of the match fixing case, Dhindsa gave the BCCI three months to submit a report on various issues. Till date he has not received any report and he has repeatedly said that the government would initiate action against the BCCI on alleged irregularities after perusal of the BCCI's report. Only two weeks remain for the deadline.

Dhindsa has also been critical of the BCCI for its reluctance to discuss matters with him. ``As sports minister, when I ask for something, the BCCI should respond. But they seem reluctant to discuss cricket with me. Since April 27, nobody from the board has come forward, though this (match fixing) is no small matter. The BCCI must tell us by July 27 how they deal with issues like players' code of conduct, how they spend their enormous funds, how they intend to clean up the game. If we do not get anything by July 27, we will see what action can be taken,'' he has said. This is certainly the strongest words against the BCCI spoken by any minister at any time and is perhaps symbolic of the vulnerability of the Board. And with outspoken critics like the former Indian captain Bishen Bedi openly coming out in favour of the government having some control over the Board ``which has been autonomous for too long'' things could not be worse for the controlling body of the game in the country.