The new karate association members address the media at JRD Tata Sports Complex. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, May 30: Though All India Karate Do Federation (AIKF) launched the new karate association in Jharkhand today, problems seem far from over.

A three-member team comprising Sensei R. Ganesh, vice-president (administration), Bharat Sharma (treasurer) and Sensei Lal Darda (assistant technical director) from the AIKF governing body formed and announced the name of the new state body, Jharkhand State Karate Do Association (JSKA), at a news meet today.

The new state association will be headed by Nageshwar Rao with S. Murtaza Hussain and Sanjay Prasad being the general secretary and treasurer of JSKA. Moreover, JSKA has 10 other members in the executive. Chief minister Madhu Koda has been made the chief patron of the state association, while deputy chief minister Sudhir Mahto will be chairman.

“We have terminated the membership of the earlier body (Karate Do Association of Jharkhand) on December 12 last year. JSKA will henceforth look after the karate affairs in Jharkhand. We have formed the new body as the 34th National Games are close,” said Sharma, the AIKF treasurer.

Sharma added that AIKF terminated the membership of KAJ for “anti-federation activities”. We have informed Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Jharkhand Olympic Association (JOA) of the same, he said.

Sharma said the membership of KAJ was terminated as it was “hobnobbing” with a breakaway national karate body headed by Rameshwar Nirvan. AIKF had suspended Nirwan for “anti-federation” activities.

The breakaway group intentionally organised a national karate meet in Gwalior in November last year, knowing that AIKF was also holding a similar programme in Chennai the same day. Some 12-13 states, including Jharkhand, was also a participant in the national test conducted by the breakaway group, the AIKF treasurer said.

Sharma stated that KAJ was showcaused on the issue and was asked to submit an apology letter. But the officials ignored the showcause.

“KAJ’s membership was subsequently terminated,” he said, adding other states, who were also showcaused, sent their apologies.

“So we did not terminate their membership,” Sharma said.

He also handed over letters issued by World Karate Federation and IOA that AIKF was their member.

But Nandji Prasad, of the KAJ, challenged the AIKF's step of forming and installing a new karate body in Jharkhand. “The body formed today is a parallel one. How can the AIKF form a new association when one is already existing since 2001,” he said while addressing the media later in the evening.

He even questioned the existence of the national karate body. “The case is subjudice. Actual identity of the national karate body will be decided by the court. The court has to decide which is the actual national karate body Ä the AIKF headed by KR Thiagarajan or the one by Nirvan,” he added.

The senior KAJ functionary was all fire and brimstone. “The JOA and the state government still recognises us. We had been asked to conduct the training camp (first phase) for the National Games. The government even sanctioned funds for the same. We have shortlisted some karatekas for the second phase of the camp which is scheduled here from June 28. We would apprise the chief minister as well as the deputy chief minister about how the KAJ has been `victimised.'