April 25 : The volcanic eruptions in Iceland are very disturbing, but our attention has been focused on the high-profile controversies taking place in the country. While cricket fever continues to grip the country as we go through the semi-final stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL), we also have
multiple exposures to the excesses allegedly committed by members of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL. I wonder if these shocking revelations will lead to larger exposures in other areas where fraud and financial excesses have been committed — like communications, real estate and land acquisition, civil aviation and mining.
Although we have a system of governance and investigation, I wonder how the current crisis will end as all those involved in illegal practices will fight back. Only time will tell if our system is strong enough to tackle the situation.
The controversy involving the BCCI and the IPL dominates the media and public attention because this issue is not about the political interests of the Congress or the Bharatiya Janata Party, or about IPL commissioner Lalit Modi or former minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor — this concerns all of us as huge money is involved in the game and all government high-ups are involved. As I read media reports of income-tax
(I-T) department conducting surveys of the offices of various franchisees, I feel that another huge scam is going to unfold soon. Though at this stage it is difficult to predict what will happen in the next 24 hours, I would be surprised if anyone from the BCCI or the IPL (there is, incidentally, little difference between the two) is going to survive this investigation unscathed.
No doubt, Mr Modi is the architect of the successful IPL franchise, but now that he is entangled in a controversy, everybody associated with the BCCI wants him to depart at the earliest. The BCCI officials think that by ousting Mr Modi they will save their own skins. However, things may take a very different turn as events overtake decisions and plans. No one should forget that everyone linked with the IPL has benefited from their association with Mr Modi.
The BCCI is responsible for all actions of the IPL (which, in fact, is not even registered). So to blame Mr Modi for all the “ailments” of the past three years would be a serious mistake. Moreover, this war between Mr Modi and the BCCI may lead to more exposures that are likely to claim more heads. I think in the next few days we could have more leaks and spills in the media on VIP assets.
Mr Tharoor allegedly arranged “sweat equity” shares of more that Rs 70 crores to his friend Sunanda Pushkar in the Kochi team. And the involvement of his staff in the negotiations was unfortunate. Mr Tharoor is obsessed with his own importance and craves media indulgence by the minute, but he, along with everyone else, deserves a fair trial.
But has Mr Tharoor revealed the full story? Does he know more about the offer made by the powerful Adani group and Videocon? No one should be surprised when Union ministers Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel, along with member of Parliament Supriya Sule, make favourable comments on their own intentions and dealings. The issue is do the facts with Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the I-T department and reports by the intelligence department support their stories? The final results may not suit everyone, because it is true that all was not fair in the IPL auctions. How can bid documents go “missing”, that too of both Adani and Videocon? Was there more “sweat equity” involved for with power and patronage?
We have seen the havoc created by offshore accounts in the US, UK and other European countries and we are all aware of the “special” financial agreements available in Dubai. We face a serious internal security threat on several fronts and a detailed investigation with the co-operation of the government in other countries is necessary to unveil the accounts in tax havens. Hopefully, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government will try to ensure that there is minimal discomfort to those who are not involved directly.
The fact is that with all this unaccounted money, we are heading towards a full-blown crisis, though it may eventually yield positive changes. Our political system is being held hostage by a handful of individuals. We should not allow the system to suffer, but at the same time we should not destroy the business interests that have also benefited the state exchequer.
The UPA government seems determined to act and once the cover of powerful political interests fades away, disclosures are sure to come. The IPL is a wonderful format for entertainment and sport, and we cannot allow a few politicians to use unlawful means to politicise sports. If possible, the Central Bureau of Investigation’s help should be taken to get to the root of the controversy. The BCCI is the main cricketing body in India and we cannot allow it to follow the same path of corruption that it has been following for so long.
The news of a published report that the government had tapped telephones of four key political leaders is very unfortunate. The Congress Party is prone to excessive “political accidents” and the telephone recording of Mr Pawar indicates the worst. The matter of the IPL gets further complicated by the leakage of a letter written by the BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla. Has action been initiated on this? Is Mr Shukla free of all connections? The battle is far from over. Mr Modi will fight the charges made against him. Any harassment of the franchisee would prove to be negative. The first priority for the Congress is the finance bill. The changed attitude of the government in the Mayawati case in the Supreme Court indicates that the cricket affairs of the BCCI and the IPL will spill into the political arena. It is sad that many innocent people are being dragged into what is clearly a battle for control of the IPL and its resources.
By Arun Nehru
Arun Nehru is a former Union Minister
