Describing the legendary cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi as the ‘Bisham Pitamah’ of Delhi cricket, DDCA President Rohan Jaitley on Monday said that the association will request him to withdraw his demand of removing his name from a stand at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Bedi, who had criticised the controversy and corruption-ridden DDCA for choosing to install the statue of an administrator at the stadium instead of an inspirational cricketer, wrote two letters demanding his name be removed from the stands. The former cricketer in his second letter threatened to take legal action.
Rohan, who recently took over as DDCA President, said he would have preferred Bedi to discuss the issue with him personally and not made “below the belt” remarks against his father, who died last year due to multiple health issues.
DDCA went ahead and unveiled the statue on Monday.
“Bedi ji is the ‘Bhisham Pitamah’ of Delhi cricket. If there are reservations, there are better ways of discussing. I am a youngster and I expect to be guided by the elders in the fraternity. His name on the stands is his legacy, an honour bestowed upon him,” Rohan said after the unveiling ceremony.
“These matters have to decided by the Apex Council. It’s not in my domain. It’s not in my power to remove anyone’s name. We have discussed it within the DDCA. We are going to request him to reconsider it. It’s a long affiliation between the DDCA and Mr Bedi.”
When asked if it really matters to DDCA if Bedi’s name stays on the stands of the Kotla ground, Rohan said “it does”.
“It matters, I want his name to be there. I respect him as much as my father, if he wants to scold me, he can pull my ear, but you can’t hit below the belt when it is not required.
“Raising (casting) aspersion on someone who is not among us is not fair. If there are reservations, I would have addressed rather than hearing from the media. I am accessible, available to everyone on board.”
Rohan said the decisions of renaming the stadium as Aun Jaitley Stadium and installation of his father’s statue were taken before he became the DDCA president.
“There are ways to address the grievances. If you start attacking someone, who has just stepped into the office…. I am trying my best to get DDCA’s glory back. I can’t do it overnight, it will take some time,” he said.
(With PTI Inputs)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)