Bhopal Hockey Assn racked by controversy
(UNI)

Bhopal: Amid a many years-long dispute in the Bhopal Hockey Association, famed as India”s hockey nursery, one group’s polls took place about a month back and the other group is to witness elections on Sunday.

”My Association is genuine but the Gufran-i-Azam-chaired Association is parallel and fake. He is trying to re-enter the Association after a break of about 14 years,” Bhopal Hockey Association Secretary I Rahman told media here today.

Rahman alleged that former secretary late Mushtaq Ali even lodged a case against Gufran-i-Azam, under section 420 of the Indian Penal Code, in connection with a bank account while Gufran-i-Azam was Association president.

”The matter finds mention in the record of the Registrar, Firms and Societies. The Sunday polls are as per the Registrar’s order. Of the Association’s 52 members, 39 are eligible to vote as 13 persons’ membership was annulled owing to indiscipline as they voted in the previous elections,” Rahman added.

If the 13 seek forgiveness then the Association would consider reinstating them, he said while adding that Advocate Rana Pratap Singh would be the election officer and the Indian Hockey Federation Vice-President would be observer.

On the other hand, Gufran-i-Azam contended that the Sunday polls were illegal as information was not sent to 28 of the Association’s clubs and a voters’ list was neither published nor distributed.

”The allegations against me are false,” he added.