MUMBAI: The Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) has secured the support of Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Member of Parliament from Nagpur, in its ongoing tussle with Hockey India (HI) over its affiliation status.
Gadkari has written a letter to Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju requesting him to revoke HI’s decision to disaffiliate VHA and grant it associate membership. The letter was written in the first week of July after VHA administrator approached Gadkari to help him save the existence of the 60-year-old hockey governing body of Vidarbha, The Hitavada reports.
The membership of VHA with HI was terminated on July 1, after the national governing body decided to follow the One State One Unit diktat of the Indian Olympic Association. There are more than 10 such association whose membership has been terminated by HI. There are three units in Maharashtra — Hockey Maharashtra (Pune), Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd (Mumbai) and Vidarbha Hockey Association (Nagpur). Only Hockey Maharashtra holds permanent membership with HI.
VHA and Mumbai have been asked to get merged with Hockey Maharashtra. VHA has filed a writ petition in the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court.
The next hearing has been slated for some time in August. In his letter, Gadkari stated that there is a pressing demand from hockey lovers from Vidarbha, Marathwada and Khandesh to keep separate existence of VHA on the ground as more than 10 organisations and associations are affiliated with the national association. “The reconsideration of the decision may help existence of VHA’s status and will also help the future of players from Vidarbha,” the letter stated. Gadkari also brought to the notice of the Sports Minister that several development works are in progress at the ground situated off Amravati Road. Construction of a building with dormitories is under way at the VHA premises. “Developmental works are going on at VHA through MPLADs to cater different facilities to the youth.”
The government has allotted 6.5 acres of land for hockey in Nagpur which is used for tournaments, coaching camps for boys and girls. The decision of One State One Unit might abolish the existence of VHA. This will also deprive youths from Central India to get chance to participate in state, national and other events, the daily reports.
Gadkari’s letter to Rijiju also pointed out that three associations from Maharashtra are part of BCCI and Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA), along with Mumbai Cricket Association, have special status. “Even in cricket, VCA teams participate in Ranji Trophy and other national level tournaments organised by BCCI representing Vidarbha region. Same identity of Vidarbha is maintained by VHA in the field of hockey for more than six decades. With disaffiliation, the identity of VHA would be lost. In the view of above, I would like to forward the matter at your end for needful action abiding the guidelines and due verification to omit VHA from the decision and keep its separate existence,” the letter stated.
