Chappell invites netas' ire, says they are paid to criticise

Updated at 3pm

NEW DELHI: Coach Greg Chappell on Monday fuelled further controversy and evoked strong reaction from across the political spectrum, with MPs attacking his comments after the loss of Sunday's cricket match against South Africa and one of them even threatening a privilege motion against him.

"If Members of Parliament are willing, a privilege motion can be moved against Chappell," Minister for Women and Child Development Renuka Choudhary told a news channel.

Chappell had said in Cape Town, South Africa, on Sunday evening that he was not surprised by the sharp criticism from the MPs following India's poor show in the one-dayers so far.

He said the MPs were doing their job. "I am not surprised. They are paid to do so in Parliament," Chappell said in the post-match press conference after India's 106-run defeat in the third ODI.

CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta said the former Australian captain "had no business" to make such comments.

"Chappell doesn't understand the nuances of democracy," he said.

"Let nobody lecture us" on what the MPs' job was, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said.

"Chappell is responsible for India's poor show," Shahid Siddiqui, MP of Samajwadi Party, said.

Union Railway Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal President Lalu Prasad said Chappell's comments were "regrettable."

"I have remarked on the BCCI and the players as well and I ask why was Chappell brought in? The purpose of him being made coach has not been served," he said.

However, Rajeev Shukla, BCCI Media Committee chairman and Rajya Sabha MP, was critical of political leaders making vituperative comments on the cricketers and the coach.

He felt Chappell did not mean disrespect to the MPs.

"Definitely he should have refrained from making an observation about MPs because they are entitled to speak about performance of the Indian team. At the same, I don't feel he meant to show any kind of disrespect towards MPs," Shukla said.

Shukla said the MPs should show some restraint while commenting about sportspersons.

"I would request the MPs also to maintain a little bit of restraint while making comments about players and coach," he said.

"Those who follow cricket have every right to speak but there are certain MPs who don't know A-B-C-D of cricket and they are abusing them (the players and the coach).

"Tomorrow, if cricket players get up and start abusing MPs then what will happen?

"They are pursuing their political agenda. Political rivalries are playing their part in the garb of cricket."

Bharatiya Janata Party MP and veteran sports administrator Vijay Kumar Malhotra also objected to Chappell's comment that Parliamentarians "get paid to comment."

"Nowadays, it has become a fashion to speak against MPs. Obviously this kind of remark is unwarranted," he said.

"Nobody should say such things. The salaries MPs receive are ordinary but they represent 20 lakh people and speak their views."

Chappell himself was reacting to questions about criticism from the MPs following India's 157-run loss in the second match in Durban last week.

Forced by the MPs' strong show of sentiments, BCCI President Sharad Pawar, also the Union Agriculture Minister, announced that Chairman of Selectors Dilip Vengsarkar would fly out to South Africa at the earliest to convey the emotions of Indian people to the team.

Pawar backs Chappell, blames media for controversy

BCCI chief Sharad Pawar came out in strong support of Greg Chappell in the ongoing controversy triggered by the coach's remarks on Parliamentarians and accused television channels of "instigating" MPs.

He said Chappell's comments were misinterpreted and that the controversy was a result of provocative journalism.

"He (Chappell) hasn't said anything like this," Pawar, the Union Agriculture Minister, said when told that Chappell had said that MPs get paid to make comments. I am glad that most of the news channels are providing subject to the Parliament... I know that there is instigation from most of the channel owners and they are instigating MPs... (this is what) many MPs told me ... But Members are not going to act as per the advice of channelwallahs. These are not the issues which one can discuss in Parliament. This is a game and one should not give disproportionate importance to it," he said.