New Delhi, April 21: IPL 2010 is turning out to be a mix of controversy and contradictions: while its founder & Commissioner Lalit Modi has refused to stand down and let the game remain dirt-free, former MOS Shashi Tharoor gave his much awaited statement in the Parliament where he asked the PM to probe the matter in order to clear his name.
Declaring that he had done “nothing improper or unethical”, Tharoor, who was forced to resign on Sunday evening from his post of Minister of State for External Affairs, said he quit the union council of ministers to avoid embarrassment to the government in view of the ongoing IPL controversy and wanted charges against him to be “thoroughly investigated”.
In a statement in the Lok Sabha, he said he was “deeply wounded by the fanciful and malicious charges” against him.
“My conscience is clear and I know that I have done nothing improper or unethical, let alone illegal,” he said adding his resignation was “in the highest moral traditions of our democratic system.”
He said, “I have led an unblemished life of personal integrity and probity and it is important to me that my name is cleared”. His statement was heard in rapt attention by the entire House including the Opposition, which had earlier trained its guns on him.
The 54-year Congress MP from Thiruvananthpuram, who joined politics just a year ago, said though he is new to Indian politics, “I have a long record of public service unblemished by the slightest taint of financial irregularity.”
Making the statement from his seat in the eighth row of the treasury benches where Rahul Gandhi was sitting, he said that in view of the political controversy surrounding his involvement in the IPL, “I have no desire to be an embarrassment to the government”.
Tharoor said he has requested the Prime Minister to have the charges against him “thoroughly investigated.”
He maintained that his departure at this stage “will allow the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues to focus on the great challenges facing our nation”.
Observing that it was a “great privilege” to serve the government and the Congress party, he said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, were “two of the finest public servants our country has ever had”.
Both the leaders were not present in the House. Leader of the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee was present.
Modi unfazed
Under-fire Lalit Modi today parried questions about his resignation as the IPL Commissioner, saying that the matter would be discussed and a unanimous decision will be taken at the upcoming Governing Council meeting on April 26.
“I think all of you have the same question. On April 26, we have the Governing Council. We will meet there and discuss all these allegations that are coming out,” Modi told reporters on his arrival from Dubai where he had gone to attend the ICC’s Executive Board meeting.
Although there is intense speculation that Modi would step down after the final of the IPL on Sunday, he did not talk on the subject at all.
“There is no point discussing it. BCCI president Shashank Manohar and Sharad Pawar had already met this morning. They are all united in the same area. Decision will be taken unanimously by the Governing Council,” he said.
Pawar wants Modi to go
Earlier, sources claimed that BCCI chief Shashank Manohar will take over as the additional responsibility of the IPL chairman after Modi tenders his resignation on April 26.
Pawar has reportedly told Modi that he has no other option but to step down as the controversy over the billion-dollar league has dented the entire board’s reputation.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Tuesday raided the house of a close associate of Lalit Modi.
Claiming that he has ‘nothing to do’ with the IPL, Pawar said that any decision regarding the beleaguered league and its boss would be collectively taken by the BCCI governing council.
Speaking to reporters after a marathon two-hour meet with BCCI president Shashank Manohar in the national capital, Pawar said, “The committee will take collective and unanimous decisions. My personal view carries no weight, we take collective decisions. Lalit Modi is also a BCCI vice-president and the decision will be unanimous”
Importantly, Pawar had held discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and later with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P Chidambaram to chart out the future discourse of the controversial T20 league.
The Cricket Board rescheduled its Working Committee meeting from April 24 to May 2 as it wants the IPL governing council – which is expected to meet here on April 26, a day after the IPL final – to first discuss the issue of Modi’s resignation.
Reports claimed that the government has categorically told Pawar- former BCCI president and current ICC President Elect- that Modi has to go at any cost. This in turn, proves that the government does have incriminating evidence to prove Modi’s murky dealings.
Clearly, there’s more than meets the eye as there are strong indications that BCCI bosses want Modi out at any cost for his alleged mismanagement of the billion dollar Twenty20 league.
Agencies inputs
Zeenews Bbureau
New Delhi: IPL 2010 is turning out to be a mix of controversy and contradictions: while its founder & Commissioner Lalit Modi has refused to stand down and let the game remain dirt-free, former MOS Shashi Tharoor gave his much awaited statement in the Parliament where he asked the PM to probe the matter in order to clear his name.
Declaring that he had done “nothing improper or unethical”, Tharoor, who was forced to resign on Sunday evening from his post of Minister of State for External Affairs, said he quit the union council of ministers to avoid embarrassment to the government in view of the ongoing IPL controversy and wanted charges against him to be “thoroughly investigated”.
In a statement in the Lok Sabha, he said he was “deeply wounded by the fanciful and malicious charges” against him.
“My conscience is clear and I know that I have done nothing improper or unethical, let alone illegal,” he said adding his resignation was “in the highest moral traditions of our democratic system.”
He said, “I have led an unblemished life of personal integrity and probity and it is important to me that my name is cleared”. His statement was heard in rapt attention by the entire House including the Opposition, which had earlier trained its guns on him.
The 54-year Congress MP from Thiruvananthpuram, who joined politics just a year ago, said though he is new to Indian politics, “I have a long record of public service unblemished by the slightest taint of financial irregularity.”
Making the statement from his seat in the eighth row of the treasury benches where Rahul Gandhi was sitting, he said that in view of the political controversy surrounding his involvement in the IPL, “I have no desire to be an embarrassment to the government”.
Tharoor said he has requested the Prime Minister to have the charges against him “thoroughly investigated.”
He maintained that his departure at this stage “will allow the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues to focus on the great challenges facing our nation”.
Observing that it was a “great privilege” to serve the government and the Congress party, he said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, were “two of the finest public servants our country has ever had”.
Both the leaders were not present in the House. Leader of the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee was present.
Modi unfazed
Under-fire Lalit Modi today parried questions about his resignation as the IPL Commissioner, saying that the matter would be discussed and a unanimous decision will be taken at the upcoming Governing Council meeting on April 26.
“I think all of you have the same question. On April 26, we have the Governing Council. We will meet there and discuss all these allegations that are coming out,” Modi told reporters on his arrival from Dubai where he had gone to attend the ICC’s Executive Board meeting.
Although there is intense speculation that Modi would step down after the final of the IPL on Sunday, he did not talk on the subject at all.
“There is no point discussing it. BCCI president Shashank Manohar and Sharad Pawar had already met this morning. They are all united in the same area. Decision will be taken unanimously by the Governing Council,” he said.
Pawar wants Modi to go
Earlier, sources claimed that BCCI chief Shashank Manohar will take over as the additional responsibility of the IPL chairman after Modi tenders his resignation on April 26.
Pawar has reportedly told Modi that he has no other option but to step down as the controversy over the billion-dollar league has dented the entire board’s reputation.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Tuesday raided the house of a close associate of Lalit Modi.
Claiming that he has ‘nothing to do’ with the IPL, Pawar said that any decision regarding the beleaguered league and its boss would be collectively taken by the BCCI governing council.
Speaking to reporters after a marathon two-hour meet with BCCI president Shashank Manohar in the national capital, Pawar said, “The committee will take collective and unanimous decisions. My personal view carries no weight, we take collective decisions. Lalit Modi is also a BCCI vice-president and the decision will be unanimous”
Importantly, Pawar had held discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and later with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P Chidambaram to chart out the future discourse of the controversial T20 league.
The Cricket Board rescheduled its Working Committee meeting from April 24 to May 2 as it wants the IPL governing council – which is expected to meet here on April 26, a day after the IPL final – to first discuss the issue of Modi’s resignation.
Reports claimed that the government has categorically told Pawar- former BCCI president and current ICC President Elect- that Modi has to go at any cost. This in turn, proves that the government does have incriminating evidence to prove Modi’s murky dealings.
Clearly, there’s more than meets the eye as there are strong indications that BCCI bosses want Modi out at any cost for his alleged mismanagement of the billion dollar Twenty20 league.
–Agencies