Who will bell the cat?

Cricketers and officials being summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation to provide evidence of their alleged involvement in the match fixing case. The premises of players and administrators being raided by income tax officials. And now the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India is chargesheeted in the SPIC disinvestment case. Surely, the game in India has reached its lowest ebb yet.

Union Sports Minister SS Dhindsa and his deputy Shahnawaz Hussain have, for some time now, been calling for players and the coach of the national team to step down owning moral responsibility for their alleged involvement in match fixing and betting and the subsequent IT raids. But they have been silent on the issue of BCCI officials who still continue to hold office despite being subjected to the raids and now chargesheeted.

The selectors - or the board - have received a pat on their backs for dropping the tainted players. The Government has repeatedly said that it did not want to interfere with the selection process. The board too has maintained that it did not influence the selection. The chairman of the selection committee Chandu Borde has said that the senior players have been rested. However, the Damocles sword is hanging over the Indian coach Kapil Dev's head.

By the same yardstick, one would assume that Dhindsa should now ask the board president and other officials holding responsible posts in its affiliated units to resign, owning moral responsibility. Or is there one rule for the players and one for administrators? Of course, if the Minister voices his opinion, then it will be seen as interference in the affairs of the BCCI by the ministry.

Talking to reporters after the selection of the probables, Borde said "Considering the present scenario, the (tainted) players would be under tremendous pressure. They will not be able to concentrate on playing to the maximum extent." Sure, the players may be under pressure, but doesn't the same logic extend to the board president and other high-profile officials whose houses have also been raided.

The players have been projected as villains. But what about the officials? It's time to bell the cat. But who will take the initiative?