Kolkata: The secretary of the Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB), Aditya Verma seems to have just one big goal at the moment – reinstatement of Bihar as a full member of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). And he’s leaving no stone unturned as he launches a barrage of attacks against former cricketer Kirti Azad blaming him for “fraudulently taking away the membership of Bihar.”
Verma who says that he’s, “an honest cricket fighter,” earlier had exposed the likes of N Srinivasan and Amitabh Chaudhury (president of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association) and now, he opens up on the politics behind Bihar’s elimination as a full-time member of the BCCI.
Speaking to SportsCrunch, he says, “Personally, I have no problems with anyone, but when I have fought for cricket so honestly for the children of Bihar, I will expose each and every one who comes and tries to mingle with the sentiments of these youngsters.”
Verma holds Azad responsible for victimising Bihar. “If there’s someone to be blamed, it is Azad. Chaudhury and the then top officials of the BCCI also cannot escape the blame. When I had fought a case against Chaudhury in 2007, Azad had supported him,” he further adds. The Association of Bihar Cricket (ABC) founded by Azad, according to Verma is “a union of political leaders who discuss more politics than cricket.”
Verma is angry at the fact that after the bifurcation of the state of Bihar in 2000, Jharkhand was made a full member of the BCCI whereas Bihar, was neglected as its name was changed to JSCA. Verma says, “If you go to the web page of JSCA, it says that it was established in 1935. Was even Jharkhand formed then?”
In a release, Verma states an interesting fact. After Azad founded the ABC, he was made the national selector despite the fact that the body remained unrecognised by the BCCI. Verma points out, “Kirti Azad was made the national selector after he formed the ABC and it was for the first time in history that a national selector was selected from a body that wasn’t even recognised by the BCCI.”
The ABC on its part was supposed to look after Bihar cricket and despite Azad, the then president of the body, being a national selector, no player from Bihar was allowed to play domestic matches conducted by the BCCI. And quite rightly Verma regrets the fact that today, children in Bihar are unable to play cricket because sadly, they still remain unrecognised by the BCCI.
However what has led Verma to stage this protest is the fact that Azad has resurfaced in Bihar cricket after more than a decade and is using youngsters as his pawns. He says, “For giving his film a commercial touch, he is playing with the sentiments of these young children from Bihar.”
Elaborating on Bihar cricket, Verma cites examples of other states that were bifurcated in the same year as Bihar and questions its exclusion as a full member of the BCCI. He says that Uttarakhand and Chattisgarh are still struggling, whereas the states from which they were made, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh continue to enjoy full membership of the BCCI. “But in Bihar’s case, a newly created state got recognition and Bihar lost its membership. Is this justice?” questions Verma.
Bihar for the records, had been a part of the Ranji Trophy for 65 years since 1935 and five players from the state have even represented the country at the highest level. Verma opposes the fact that even after having a rich experience, Bihar cricket was abandoned and Jharkhand was made a full member instead.
Verma is unperturbed at the threats he has been facing. He adds, “Although many have tried to purchase me and even threatened me, they haven’t succeeded because I am an honest cricket fighter and cricket is in my blood.”
“Hats off to the Supreme Court. I am happy that states like Uttarakhand, Pondicherry and the north-eastern states too would get to play cricket now as per its orders,” Verma says.
An emotional Verma exudes confidence as he signs off saying, “Although three generations of Bihar cricketers have suffered and I cannot return them back their lost years but I assure you that in the next 15 years, there would be at least 10 Bihar cricketers playing for the national team.”