Top ministry official slams Batra remarks
NEW DELHI: A day after Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra lashed out at the sports ministry’s diktat that clearance must be taken to host any international event, its seniormost bureaucrat criticised the comments and said it was ‘logical and fair’ for the government to ask for it.
Secretary (Sports), Rahul Bhatnagar slammed comments made by Batra, who said the previous day, “Sometimes we have idiotic bureaucrats coming in and they have made everyone’s life miserable.”
Bhatnagar said in a statement on Friday: “I have known Shri Batra for a long time as a gentleman and an able sports administrator and therefore, I was all the more surprised at the language that has been used by him as published in the said article.
It certainly does not behove a person of his standing and stature and who is currently holding the two very responsible positions of President, IOA and President, FIH (International Hockey Federation), to speak in this manner
“So far as the facts of the matter are concerned, the provision regarding prior permission of the Ministry required by National Sports Federations (NSFs) before bidding for any major sporting international event in the country and committing huge financial exposure of the Government is very much a part of the provisions of National Sports Development Code, 2011. This code was promulgated on 31st January, 2011, and was upheld by the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi by judgement of 9th May, 2014.
The Hon’ble High court had held in the said judgement that the provisions of National Sports Development Code – 2011 are not arbitrary and the Central Government can insist upon adherence to these provisions, without the aid of legislation.”
The NSFs are now required to notify the sports ministry well in advance before bidding for an event and provide financial estimates to get government help.
Bhatnagar said: “Besides, it is only logical and fair that the government should know its financial exposure for the event before the National Sports Federation bids for it and it should not come as a fait accompli after the event is allotted to India. Permissions as above are required to be taken from Governments for holding international sporting events in other countries as well.”