‘Inquiry panel violative of SC orders’

Ravi Dhaliwal

Facing allegations of sexual harassment from his players, former Indian women’s hockey coach MK Kaushik has found support from a group of former international hockey players who had played under his tutelage.

Midfielder Saroj Bala, who was a member of the team that participated in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, 1986 Seoul Asian games and the 1985 Buenos Aires World Cup ,and has also remained assistant coach to Kaushik from 1992 to 1996, questioned the decision of Hockey India (HI) to set up a four-member panel to inquire into the allegations levelled by Ranjitha against the chief coach.

She said the committee had been set up in clear violations of the orders of the Supreme Court. Saroj, who termed Kaushik to be an upright man holding high moral and ethical values, claimed that the apex court in the Vishakha versus State of Rajasthan case in 1997 had held that only a woman could preside over the proceedings in such cases.

Moreover, Saroj claimed, the SC had ordered that at least 50 per cent of the members of such a committee should be women. It is pertinent to mention here that Hockey India had formed a panel comprising Rajiv Mehta (chairman), former Olympians Zafar Iqbal, Ajit Pal Singh and Sudarshan Pathak, who is the sole women member in the committee. Bala said a proper committee should be constituted as per orders of the Supreme Court.

“Only in that way will the truth prevail. Hockey India is just doing a face-saving exercise and nothing concrete will emerge. I have known Kaushik for a long time and any individual knowing him will vouch for the fact that he is a man of unimpeachable character and integrity. It’s a clear cut case to defame a coach whose experience and expertise in the national game is well known,” she said.

Saroj found support from former international striker Manjinder Kaur, who played for India in the 1998 Bangkok and 2002 Busan Asian Games, apart from donning the Indian cap in the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games. Manjinder, now employed with the Railways, said, “ It is difficult to believe the allegations against Kaushik. There are a lot of warring groups in Indian hockey and some disgruntled elements are out to defame a man whose character is known to everyone. Kaushik is a victim of hockey’s internal politics.”

Earlier, Helen Mary, who was a member of the Indian team in 2006, had levelled similar allegations against Kaushik. However, a subsequent inquiry revealed that Mary’s allegations were “unfounded”.