JKCA has been marred by controversies for the past few years.
Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) is considering a withdrawal from upcoming domestic championships as the state is facing a severe monetary crisis. JKCA had approached the Indian board in July this year requesting it to issue a letter to the J&K Bank so that the state association can regularise its frozen account and utilise approximately Rs. 34 crore in its coffers.
“We have written to everyone in the BCCI, but till date no response has come. You tell me how shall I run cricket here. The tournament (Ranji Trophy) is starting next month. We have to conduct selection trials here. If a boy comes from Jammu, where shall I put him up? Who will pay him daily allowance? If such is the case, what shall we do other than taking a drastic step which will hurt cricket badly. There has been no word from the BCCI so far,” JKCA secretary Iqbal Shah said.
JKCA has been marred by controversies for the past few years. There have been allegations of financial misappropriation and judicial authorities have frozen JKCA accounts. JKCA has had two groups fighting to assert their authority, and as a result of the infighting, two season ago, the state team had to play all its matches away from home. The BCCI has not disbursed the state’s annual share to JKCA since March 2012. For the last two seasons, the board reimbursed JKCA and even booked hotels for its Ranji Trophy teams.
“It is not easy to run cricket. There is an investigation taking place on misappropriation of funds here. The association needs at least around 6-7 crore annually to run cricket in the state. I want to have a Ranji Trophy camp now but I can’t as I don’t have the money to pay daily allowance to my players. Tell me, what shall I do other than pull out of this important cricket tournament?” Shah added.
He says there is no one in the BCCI to listen to J&K’s plea. He had met office-bearers in July and even written emails to top BCCI employees, but has not received a single reply.
“I was told that the matter will be taken up by the Committee of Administrators (CoA). I went and met them in Delhi. They said it will go back to the office-bearer. Now these office-bearers have been given a notice by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. The other day, I was told that the decision on my state association can only be taken by the general body. The next hearing in the Supreme Court is on September 19. So where is the general body now? Chances are that the BCCI AGM will only take place next month. And from next month, the domestic championship is starting,” Shah points out.
The JKCA, according to Shah, had already agreed to implement the Lodha Committee reforms. As per the Supreme Court order, the BCCI will only issue annual grants to state association when they submit an affidavit to implement the Lodha recommendations. The Supreme Court had passed its order last year, but nothing had happened till date. For Jammu and Kashmir and its players, time is running out.
