New Delhi, Feb. 21: Former Union minister Sharad Yadav today condemned the “vulgar display of wealth” at the IPL player auction and asked the government to recover whatever cash and honours it had earlier given the cricketers.

“It was a day of national shame when cricketers were put on auction,” the Janata Dal (United) president said.

Yadav said the players who went under the hammer should be stripped of all the medals, honours, citations and freebies bestowed by the central and state governments, including the crores in cash awards. “Such cash assistance must be recovered” and the money spent to promote other sports.

Yadav described the Indian cricket board as “just a money-spinning organisation which has become a den of conspiracy and intrigues”, and demanded the government take it over and bring it under the sports ministry.

The Dal (U) chief’s main political rival, Lalu Prasad, happens to be a major player in BCCI politics.