ET Plus Report
JAMMU, Mar 9: Making utter mockery of rules of Jammu and Kashmir sports council published from time to time, the Jammu and Kashmir Olympic Association (JKOA) has been reduced to a private limited company by its general secretary.
Interestingly, the sports council who is accountable to ensure that its norms are adhered to, has not only turned a blind eye to the violation of norms, but has connived with him in his misdoings.
Professor Ashutosh Sharma has glued to the chair of the general secretary of the JKOA, an amalgamation of all sports associations of the state since its inception nearly three decades ago even as an order of the state sports council no. SC/76-A /5087-6020 dated 18.11. 1997 taken after its 44th meeting chaired by the then Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah clearly rules that "No individual can hold the principal office of any association for more than two terms".
In violation of yet another order of the state sports council, No. SC/76/2801-6 dated 27.8.1998, which states that "No individual can hold more than one principal offices in any sports associations", Ashutosh Sharma who is president of the J&K Amateur Athletic Association and General Secretary of the JKOA has included his name in the executive bodies of at least four other associations including judo, gymnastics, cycling and boxing and construed their constitutions to empower himself for operating the accounts of these associations.
Interestingly, the office address of all these associations is 41-B Karan Nagar, Jammu, which is the residence of Ashutosh Sharma. "He is operating the accounts of six associations presently in violation of our norms and receiving cheques on behalf of all these associations but no one objects to this misappropriation," confessed an employee of the state sports council pleading anonymity.
"Like in other associations like Jammu and Kashmir cricket Association and Indian Olympic Association, where people are holding posts for more than 25 years, he will continue to remain general secretary of JKOA," a close associate of Sharma said.
Apart from that, the former secretary of the state sports council Ravinder Gupta pointed out these violations of rules and sought explanation from Ashutosh and withheld his payments, but when Gupta was transferred no action has been taken against him. |
