With Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under attack over Lalit Modi row, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) mouthpiece “Organiser” today said the controversy over the former IPL boss’ links with various politicians was not “sudden” and insisted that it demands more explanations from UPA government rather than the current dispensation.
“Lalit Modi scandal and his relations with various politicians resurrected in last few days. It was not sudden,” it said in an editorial, noting that he had declared in 2013 after he was banned from any official position in Indian cricket that he was “going to go after them”.
It also said the “Modigate” has provided a golden opportunity to clean up the “mess” in cricket and called for a thorough investigation in the business transactions involving IPL.
“The recent revelations demand more explanations from the UPA government rather than the present one as the main scandal took place under the previous regime. It is also surprising that the key names involved in the creation of IPL like Sharad Pawar and N Srinivasan (ICC chairman) are not mentioned in the discussion.
“This resurfacing of Modigate has provided a golden opportunity for all the political parties to clean the mess in cricket once and for all,” the weekly said.
It said there are larger questions which need to be addressed about the integrity in sports rather than picking on on certain individuals.
The functioning of BCCI should be transparent by using all the possible measures, it said.
“If we miss on this, the taints will be on everybody and ultimately, it will be the cricket that will lose its credibility. Then, there will be neither the game nor the business,” the editorial said.
