Small beginning

Sir — After Sanjay Dutt, it is now Salman Khan’s turn to go behind bars (“Catch Salman if you can”, Aug 25). The judgment has certainly restored the people’s faith in the judiciary. Still, one wonders if the ruling would have been different, had the Bishnoi community not been politically powerful in Rajasthan. The Jodhpur district court would have also found it difficult to punish Khan if he had been a politician. Hopefully, this sentence will set a precedent, and prove that even the rich and the famous are not above the country’s laws.

Yours faithfully,
G.C. Biswas,
Barasat

Dangerous games

Sir — While the prime minister is battling Prakash Karat’s bouncers, Sharad Pawar, the Indian cricket board chief, is trying to keep his bat away from Kapil Dev’s outswingers. The Board of Control for Cricket in India decided to sack Kapil as the chairman of the National Cricket Academy after he decided to head the Indian Cricket League (“BCCI sacks Kapil as NCA chairman”, Aug 22). However, Kapil is not alone in the line of fire. The board has announced that players contracted with it will not be allowed to represent their states or play in local leagues if they join the ICL. It has also ordered a pay-hike for those playing Ranji trophy matches to stop players from switching sides.

Before penalizing cricketers for joining the ICL, the board needs to answer a few questions; why has it not been able to appoint a full-time coach for the national team since Greg Chappell’s departure? Why are some cricket stadiums in the country in a horrible condition? Why is the BCCI headed by a politician, and not a cricketer? The board is not inclined to put its own house in order. Instead, it has decided to take on the ICL to protect its own turf. There is no reason why the board and the ICL cannot work together. Unfortunately, as of now, the BCCI seems more interested in competing with the ICL rather than join hands with it to develop Indian cricket.

Yours faithfully,
Tapan Das Gupta,
Calcutta

Sir — The BCCI’s decision to remove Kapil Dev as the chairman of the Bangalore-based NCA has not come as a surprise. Rather than welcome the move, the board has slammed the ICL’s initiative to promote cricket in India. The BCCI is riddled with politics, and its officials have always placed regional interests above the game. This is evident from the way the board has been ignoring domestic cricket for years. Hopefully, the ICL will fulfil its promise of nurturing young Indian cricketers. As for the BCCI, it will do well to shun politicians and professionalize itself at the earliest.

Yours faithfully,
A.S. Mehta,
Calcutta

Sir — By roping in a number of players, the ICL has managed to put the BCCI in a corner. The board, threatened by the exodus of players, has imposed a ban on those featuring in the ICL. These are tough times for the BCCI. India’s dismal performance in the World Cup has resulted in a fall in advertisement revenues. And now comes the threat from the newly-launched ICL. With many players supporting the venture, the BCCI had no option but to act tough. Removing Kapil Dev as the chairman of the NCA was a step in that direction.

Yours faithfully,
Rahul Roy,
Calcutta

Sir — The birth of the ICL can be attributed to the failures of the BCCI. If Indian cricket has to prosper, the board needs to change the way in which it functions. Perhaps it could start by ridding itself of a Union minister as its chief and appoint a former player in his place.

Yours faithfully,
Subhash C. Agrawal,
Dariba, Delhi