Pargat seeks Rahul Gandhi’s intervention in Hockey India polls

NEW DELHI: A four-member delegation led by Hockey Punjab secretary Pargat Singh met with Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and sought his intervention in having a free, fair and transparent Hockey India election at the earliest.

Pargat met Rahul along with Bengal Hockey Association secretary Gurbax Singh, former Indian Women’s Hockey Federation chief Amrit Bose and Rajasthan Hockey Association president Dr Raj Kumar, on whose petition the High Court has stayed the operations of Hockey Rajasthan, the single unit representing both men and women’s hockey of the state.

“We met Rahul Gandhi today and asked for his intervention in the much-awaited Hockey India elections. We told him that we want is a free, fair, genuine and transparent election involving all state units as soon as possible,” Pargat said.

“He (Rahul) assured us that he will talk to the Sports Ministry and do the needful in this regard,” the former Indian captain said.

Pargat felt that after the successful hosting of the World Cup, now it is imperative to form the national body at the earliest to run the game in the country in a democratic manner.

“All these days we did not raise the issue as the World Cup was there. The World Cup was a prestige issue for us and it went off well. Now the focus should be on the elections,” he said.