Times of India: MHAL Elections: Carvalho draws out daggers against Rathor

MUMBAI: With barely three days left for the Mumbai Hockey Association Limited (MHAL) polls, it is no surprise the rival factions are out in the open, hurling allegations and counter-allegations.

While current office bearers are confident of gaining majority once again, the rival faction -the ‘Players Panel’ is ensuring that it is not a cakewalk for the MHAL president Manga Singh Bakshi and his executive Committee members.

Olympian Joaqium Carvalho -contesting for the post of Honorary General Secretary -has contended that the incumbents have handed out MHAL memberships to undeserving candidates, who have no business or the expertise to run the show at the MHAL.

While Carvalho welcomed the fact that 14 international players have been given memberships, he is absolutely miffed about the fact that close to 50 memberships have been handed out to family, friends and well wishers of MHAL’s executive members. Carvalho is also amused by the fact that voting rights are reserved only for MHAL members and not a single hockey club, which participates in the MHAL leagues, has the authority to cast their vote.

“This is not acceptable. Just like the Mumbai Cricket Association is run by clubs, hockey too should follow the same model. It is the players and clubs who should decide the fate of the game, not non-players. We would not have any problems if these family and friends were connected with hockey in any way,” said Carvalho.

Olympian Gavin Ferreira, who is on the Players’ Panel, was surprised to know that the clubs don’t have the voting rights. “I had asked my Malad Club officials to prepare for voting. But I was told that clubs don’t have voting rights. I was playing until recently so I never bothered to know how the game is administered in the city. It is surprising… even amusing that clubs don’t have the right to pick administrators,” Ferreira said.

For his part, MHAL secretary Ram Singh Rathor said that there were over 500 players playing hockey with various clubs affiliated to MHAL, but not all of them can be given memberships. “We have to be selective in giving membership to players. While our constitution does not differentiate between a player and a non-player, the applicant must be an Indian national,” Rathor said.

The secretary, however, did concede that two of his sons were given memberships of the MHAL, but insisted they were inducted as members only after following proper procedure. “When commander Kehar Singh was the secretary, his son Ranvir was made a member, we had not objected back then. Why eyebrows are being raised now?” Rathor questioned.

Carvalho also alleged that two of the contestants are relatives of president Bakshi. “The allegations are absolutely baseless. The concerned people are bonafide members of the club and as per the MHAL’s constitution they have every right to contest for the forthcoming elections,” Rathor clarified.