The allegations have come as a shock: Hockey coach MK Kaushik

Maharaj Krishan Kaushik, man in the eye of the storm, had a busy day on Wednesday, meeting the Hockey India officials in New Delhi. He spoke to DNA after stepping down from his post. Excerpts:

How do you react to the allegations?
It has come as a shock. I never imagined that someone can say such things about me. I have always maintained a professional relationship with the players. These allegations are baseless. I am hurt that my reputation has been hampered.

Did the player (Ranjitha) ever discuss with you about her
selection?
Nothing of that sort ever happened. It came out of a sudden. It has disturbed me and my family. But I am hopeful that truth will come out soon. The committee members look positive and I am sure, they will bring out the truth.

So why did she suddenly come out with such a serious allegation?
I don’t know. All I can say is that if you look at her past performances, be it in the camp or in the China tour, you can see that her performance was below average and her exclusion from the team was justified. It must be her vested interest that made her take this step.

Are you planning to take any legal action against her?
I have not thought of filing any case on her. I am a government employee and would rather follow the instructions given by my office.

You have resigned from the post of the coach of the team…
I had maintained that I will not go to Korea with the team till I am cleared of the charges. That is why I have decided to quit.