The Sports Minister of India, Sarbananda Sonowal has clarified the stand of the Ministry on the Board of Control for Cricket in India by stating that it is not a recognised national sports federation and that it has informed the parliament on Tuesday.
This was a written reply to a question asked by BJP MP Raosaheb Patil Danve from Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha that had raised the issue of giving too much importance to cricket and other sports in the country is being neglected.
Sonowal clarified by stating:
“
Although BCCI has not been officially recognised by the ministry, since the International Cricket Council (ICC) recognises it as the apex body for promotion of cricket in India, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports provides only clearance from the sports angle for organising international cricket matches in India and (for the) participation of the national team in international events abroad at no cost to the government, subject to clearances from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs.
”
-as quoted by Hindustan Times.
Sonowal also went on to add that the BCCI doesn't come under the ambit of RTI and it doesn't receive any kind of grants or financial assistance from the government.
This is contrary to the fact that as many as 47 cricketers have been chosen for national sports awards over the years with Sachin Tendulkar receiving the highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna that was conferred to him in the year 2014.
The BCCI is yet to respond or react to this latest development and while this is not the first time that the house was under fire due to its activities, the apex body of cricket has remained unperturbed in their stand.
In 2014, a Rajya Sabha member wanted to know when the BCCI will be brought under the RTI act to which the sports minister then informed the house that it is trying all the means and ends to get them under the RTI act and the issue was pending before Central Information Commission (CIC).
The CIC in turn issued a notice to all the concerned parties involved but the BCCI got an interim stay from the Madras High Court.
Source: IBN Live