Rajasthan Cricket Academy office locked just a month ahead of IPL
The Rajasthan Cricket Academy (RCA) was put under lock and key on Friday after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan State Sports Council expired. The dispute comes at a time when Indian Premier League (IPL) matches are scheduled in Rajasthan next month.
The MoU between the sports council and RCA was signed on February 22, 2019 when the Congress was in power. Under the MoU, RCA has access to the stadium, RCA office building and RCA academy.
On February 19, the sports council issued a notice to RCA stating that its MoU for the academy and Sawai Mansingh Stadium (SMS) will be expiring on February 21 and both should be handed over to the council. The RCA can no longer use the cricket ground in the SMS stadium or the other blocks in the stadium where its offices are located.
According to sports council secretary Sohan Ram Choudhary, RCA had not paid dues amounting to ₹35 crore.
“The RCA has not paid dues for several years. Many notices were sent to them but they did not respond. They did sent a memorandum asking to extend the MoU for 10 years. But they have never followed any of the terms of the MoU. They don’t reply to any of our communication. I spoke to RCA officials on several occasions but they never showed any interest in payment of dues. So, we decided not to extend the MoU. Today, we locked the RCA office in the SMS stadium,” said Choudhary.
He added that he has written to the registrar of cooperatives regarding irregularities by the RCA and an investigation has been ordered into it.
When the sports council officials reached the SMS stadium on Friday evening, the RCA head Vaibhav Gehlot, the son of former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, was in the RCA office. He termed the action vindictive.
“After the new government came to power in Rajasthan, they are acting in haste against the RCA. We got only two days to vacate the premises. Regarding the dues, it is an old matter and is sub judice. We will seek legal advice,” he added.
RCA secretary Bhawani Samota maintained that “The RCA wrote to the sports council about two weeks ago to extend the MoU but there was no reply.”
According to those familiar with the development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government now plans to disband the RCA executive and appoint an ad hoc committee that will oversee affairs till fresh elections can be held.
Names of Parakram Rathore and Dhananjay Singh are doing the rounds for the post of RCA president, said party insiders. While Rathore, the president of Churu cricket association, is the son of senior BJP leader Rajendra Rathore, Singh, the president of Nagaur cricket association, is the son of state health minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar.
The RCA has not paid dues for several years. Many notices were sent to them but they did not respond SOHAN RAM CHOUDHARY, Rajasthan State Sports Council secretary