New Delhi: Disgruntled Hockey India (HI) secretary Narinder Batra on Wednesday launched a tirade against cricket legend Kapil Dev, who headed the Arjuna Awards selection committee, calling him an opportunist and said the World Cup-winning captain settled an old score with him by ignoring seven hockey players for the Arjuna Award.
Batra’s comments came a day after the Arjuna Awards selection committee reviewed the list of the 15 players, who were chosen for the honour and decided that there was no need for additional names.
Batra, in a statement, said Kapil was trying to get even with him after his recommendations denied the former all-rounder’s company Dev Musco some contracts in installing floodlights in Bhubaneswar and Haryana.
Batra took offence to Kapil’s ‘Who is Batra?’ comment and said: “Kapil Dev approached ‘Who is Batra’ during the period Ferozshah Kotla Cricket Stadium was being rebuilt to ensure that Dev Musco gets the order for high mast lights. Then ‘Who is Batra’ told him that lowest bidder amongst GE, Phillips, Bajaj and Dev Musco will get the order. He even got messages sent to ‘Who is Batra’ through a common friend from Manchester called one Mr. M. Bhatia who is also from Chandigarh, to help Dev Musco and give order to Dev Musco.”
Batra also said that when HIL was started in 2013, the broadcasters wanted better quality lights for high definition telecast and when HI approached Dev Musco they quoted 10 times higher than others.
“When we started Hockey India League (HIL) in 2013, the broadcast and production wanted to ensure that the lux levels of lights in all stadiums are sufficient for high definition production and telecast. We approached Dev Musco, the rates they quoted were 10 times higher that others, hence we got it done through others,” said Batra.
Batra also said that Dev Musco wanted favours from him in installing lights at hockey stadiums in Bhuvaneshwar, Jind, Hissar and Rohtak, which he politely refused. (IANS)
