This is the article that was not allowed to be published by a national editor .It is a unproof version. Critical names being white labeled.... God of all maladies Most often than naught, political flamboyancy and public callousness gels together well when dealing with popular public sentiments; but when it comes to Mr XXX, he has his own world of bluntness to thicken all tongues. When he was asked by a journalist, whether he thinks himself accountable for India’s dismal show in hockey world cup in Chile; he replied by saying - accountability doesn’t come out of vending machine, where you drop a coin and then you get it. If the reply was packed in a bag and sent for postmortem, then probably XXX’s intimidation towards India media was a call to salvage support from his old political alias. But if it were to be understood on the current context, his intension has an indication of a war footage which he is fighting for the last fourteen years, alone. The uprising of XXX has been quite significant in justifying the hypothesis put forward by some conspiracy theorists- the give and take equation between political party and its loyal administrative follower. If operation blue-star would have been a failure, then Mani Shankar Iyar’s camaraderie gesture to defend Mr. XXX for current hockey debacle could have searched hideouts in the golden temple. Once played in India, hockey fought its livelihood under half inch belly of average Indians - can now be found dead in Mr. XXX’s own backyard. The sigh of her last long breath was heard from distant Chile, when a sultry dawn was sweeping through the window of retreating Indian winter. Indian Hockey is out of Olympics and so Indian dreams. Accountability and responsibility for this debacle and so others in past have always been an issue and when put before confrontation, it sets out everyone’s teeth on edge. It is not a ceremonious opprobrium for Indian hockey, particularly not when it share the private space of Mr. XXX’s state of affairs. Instead it glorifies our overrepresented democracy. It will be an overkill of our own modesty to call India as a democratic country, where still few undemocratic fractions and dictatorship have always had a calculative affinity towards each other. A company is running in loss and the boss is not willing to resign testify that Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) is running like a family owned business. And what left to the interpretation by common man is beyond that dirty laundry aired in public. Justifying Indian hockey fiasco in Chile for XXX is not a fresh affair, particularly when he has mastered the art. But what seems to be a God father’s charm has taken a dent in his own den. Resignation of Indian coach ominously stating collective responsibility and later stung by Jyotikumaran has put XXX’s credibility doddering his age. And finally what kept XXX guessing in limbo was the episode of shifting loyalty of the inhabitants of Janpath Road, New Delhi. How does a dictator react when he finds himself cornered by his own misgivings? Well, there are no half measures for the hard liners. When Rome was burning, Nero played on his violin singing his own verses. Fire engulfed city, charred people and Nero rejoiced with the greatest Roman curse. “Roman burnt the city of Troy and thou should Rome be” is a statement of political retribution and if Nero justified the killing of Romans against what he believed to be Roman’s misgivings, he has well set a precedent to Mr XXX. Similarly, when the Russian tanks were ruining the Bulgarian backdrop, fiery bullets biting the Kreplic national museum, president Krovonovich declaring mutiny in national radio, was an act of political retribution. But what is relevant in Roman politics and communist revolution is absolutely out-dated in Indian hockey. Political retribution in India is used as a surrogated battlefield to fight a cold war by political elements without using the party label, which otherwise not possible in a democracy. In India, political retribution was first conceived during the war of IHF and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in 1973. Both IHF and IOA were loggerheads with each other, lobbied by two rival outfits of Indian National Congress. Fight of personal war turned into proxy contest between political rivals. That time, IHF chairman, Captain Ashwin Kumar was forced to step down with growing opposition primarily because of N Patnawar and MAM Ramaswamy, who were the expelled leaders of congress. IOA suspended the operation of IHF after receiving the recommendation from international hockey federation. That time, IOA was housed by the southern block, and Patnakar and Ramaswamy left no stones unturned to lobby against IHF in lieu the political support in Tamilnadu and Karnataka. The feud became so intense that that IHF president Ashwin Kumar dragged IOA to court questioning the legitimacy of suspension. After mud-slinging battle for one year, Supreme Court quashed the suspension order in 1974. Fresh election was conducted under the purview of Supreme Court and Mr YYYY was appointed as the new president of IHF. With the defeat, IOA stopped funding IHF and the majority infrastructure development that was planned before India hosting the hockey world cup was scrapped. Fortunately in 1975, Congress won the state election in Punjab and it became easier for YYY to counter-relate himself with Punjab politics as his election to president-ship was pro-acted by Congress government in Punjab. Hockey is a popular sport in Punjab and Congress utilized its popularity to penetrate deep into Punjab politics. Since then, Punjab became so dominant in Indian hockey that even 1975 Hockey world cup at Tehran and Asian games was funded by Punjab state government. After a successful stint post election, it was the payback time for YYYY. In 1976, YYY wiped out all the elected members of opposition camp within IHF. When operation IHF was successful, YYY turned his attention towards IOA. He started persuading the IOA elected members drawing them in his side. Things were looking good until the time just before the IOA general election, Congress lost the Punjab to Akali dal in 1977. Wheel of fortune started turning the other way round. Opposition used political retribution to ouster YYY and company. History repeats itself and it isn’t a cliché in Indian Hockey. Similar sequence of events happened in 1982, 1989 and 1991, but political retribution was the purport rather than purpose when it means business by these political outfits. After sweeping 1992 Lokshabha election, Congress started resurrecting its own problem child, IHF. Operation blue-star had already earned XXX a unilateral position within the ranks of Congress and appointing XXX as the IHF president will send a firm message within party hardliners who were willing to take the route of political retribution. XXX was elected as the new president of IHF with a thumping victory. For Congress the God of savior was given fullest authority to implement constitutional and administrative protocols, so that political retribution is kept under the carpet. XXX continued to enjoy privilege of Congress and marked by his courtship on his administrative ability, he pulled things back on track. XXX was given all control by IHF and slowly he became the temptation for others. All the decision so trivial it be was taken by XXX. He even started interfering on the issues that was non-administrative in nature and something of the dimension of sporting context. Though there were resentments among few governing members, but no one tried to put it straight on the face of XXX given the power and privilege he have. Coach selection, team selection and even playing strategy were taken within XXX’s ambit and the rise of dictator from Congress’ apprehension was on a making. It will be absolutely outrageous to say Congress was not aware of XXX’s uprising, but hangover of political retribution for Congress has taken a toll on their capability to re-organize their party’s misplaced agenda. Despite of XXX’s dictatorship, there seems to be a preferred gesture from the big wigs of Congress. Within these fourteen years, each and every hockey lovers in the country has witnessed the man growing in stature larger than the game itself, showcasing the inability of our system to deal with nepotism. If operation blue-star has given us an undivided Punjab, it has also gifted us with a divided hockey. And if it has at all buried political retribution under the carpet, it has started the legacy of politics and sports sharing the common living room. These fourteen years being a slow death for Indian hockey and at the cost of people’s sentiments, passion and pride. Though XXX has been sacked by IOA with the informal approval from congress, our system has the required fertility to produce such thousand of XXXs, and if sooner or later India recognizes another operation blue-star, it would make sports in India beyond that 5 letters’ word.
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 05:01:42 +0000
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