New Delhi/Pune, July 14:
Under pressure to drop his Olympic trip to London, a defiant Suresh Kalmadi today launched a vicious attack on Ajay Maken, accusing the Sports Minister of carrying out a vilification campaign against him and called for his resignation for contempt of court.
A day after a Delhi court allowed Kalmadi to travel to London for the Olympics evoking sharp reactions, the veteran sports administrator lambasted Maken for interfering with the functioning of sports bodies and causing “groupism” in his first press conference since being released on bail.
Kalmadi also said it was unbecoming of Maken to react in such a way against the court’s decision and requested the Prime Minister to ask for his resignation. He said the vilification campaign was meant to cause a split between the officials and athletes and jeopardise India’s medal prospects.
“I was quite shocked and dismayed to read Ajay Maken’s reaction to the Honorable Court’s decision to grant me permission to visit London for the forthcoming Olympic Games. In view of Mr Maken going against the court decision, which is quite unbecoming of a sports minister I request our prime minister to ask for Mr Maken’s resignation for making such comments and statements,” Kalmadi said.
Maken, however, declined to comment, saying that he would not like to respond to a person who has been chargesheeted by the CBI and suspended by Congress party on corruption charges.
Asked about his stand on Kalmadi’s plans to attend the London Olympic Games, Maken said, “I still stand by my statement that he should not go to the Olympics as he still remains the president of the IOA and is yet to be cleared of the charges of corruption pending in the courts.”
The IOA, on its part, sought to steer clear of the raging controversy and clarified that Kalmadi was not a part of its official delegation.
“Suresh Kalmadi, MP is not a member of the IOA delegation to London Olympics. Indian contingent for the Games has been finalised a month back and Mr Kalmadi does not figure in it,” Acting President V K Malhotra said in a statement.
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