COA

The Committee of Administrators (CoA) member Diana Edulji on Thursday made her views pretty clear that she wanted to present the winning IPL trophy as she was of the opinion that BCCI Acting President CK Khanna has disregarded the protocol by not presenting the winner’s trophy after the conclusion of the India-Australia ODI series in New Delhi.

Diana Edulji wanted to give away the trophy to Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma but was barred from giving it after getting overruled by her CoA colleague Lt Gen Ravi Thodge. He was of the opinion that the tradition of the president giving away the IPL trophy should prevail. Hence CK Khanna gave away the trophy in the end.

This is not the first time, Diana Edulji has come under the scanner for his comments. Despite several problems, Diana Edulji didn’t clarify why it was equally important for her to give away the winner’s trophy.

“To set the facts straight, in the COA meeting dated 8th April, the topic was discussed. During the discussion, I had mentioned that as the Acting President (CK Khanna) had abdicated his right to give away the trophy during the BCCI bilateral match in Delhi,” Diana Edulji said in a press release.

“He (Khanna) had shown disregard for the protocol and an office bearer of a state association was allowed to give the trophy away and hence for the IPL Final COA members should give the trophy. This was because the Acting President had shown disregard to the office of the President of the BCCI,” said Edulji.

Meanwhile, Diana Edulji further explained that CoA chief Vinod Rai was expected to give away the trophy had he been present there. However, as per the talk in the meeting, it was learnt that the trophy would be given away by Lt Gen Thodge and her respectively. Meanwhile, there was one more incident which irked Vinod Rai and CK Khanna showed a two-year-old email from secretary Amitabh Chaudhary where he had written that convention should prevail.

“A few days before the final Mr Khanna forwarded a mail from the Acting Secretary Mr Amitabh Choudhary written sometime in the year 2017 in which he had said that as per protocol the BCCI President gives away the trophy,” said Diana Edulji.

There were several questions asked by Edulji why CK Khanna didn’t follow the protocol during the conclusion of the India-Australia ODI series. It was DDCA president Rajat Sharma who gave away the trophy to the Australian skipper Aaron Finch.

“Till date, even after numerous e-mails including from the Acting Secretary asking for reasons on what grounds the Acting President allowed the DDCA representative to give away the trophy, Khanna has not bothered responding and explaining about the reasons due to which he took that decision.” Edulji said. He further accused CK Khanna of carrying Amitabh Chaudhary’s email in his pocket.

“On the day of the final as usual, his interest seemed only limited to the presentation of the trophy since he was carrying around an e-mail of 2017 in his pocket,” Edulji wrote.