Noting that the BCCI was taking over everything to do with cricket after it got rich in the last 10-15 years, he said it is time the board "answers to India".
Questioning the tax exemptions given to BCCI, sports minister MS Gill today said the sports body cannot be the regulator as also owner of the Indian team as there is a conflict of interest.
Noting that the BCCI was taking over everything to do with cricket after it got rich in the last 10-15 years, he said it is time the board "answers to India".
The minister also made it clear that IPL was under government's radar and its activities were being looked into with great details.
Winding up a debate on the working of his ministry in the Rajya Sabha, he asked why tax exemptions were being given to BCCI, one of the richest sports bodies in the world.
State governments were also giving away tax sops on different cricket events, he said.
On the IPL controversy, he said "IPL is under our radar, we are watching it very carefully. Its affairs are being looked into with great details."
Gill said the BCCI could not be a regulator as also owner of the Indian team as there was a conflict of interest.
During the debate, members from both sides came down heavily on the IPL.
Jayanthi Natarajan (Cong) said IPL has given birth to "crony capitalism and worst corporate governance" and demanded that it should have been under the sports ministry.
She said BCCI gets huge tax exemption and has no accountability, responsibility or transparency. "We should not allow vested interests to continue," she said.
Shiv Sena member Manohar Joshi demanded a ban on IPL for three years and a CBI probe against IPL commissioner Lalit Modi who, he alleged, has earned crores of rupees in the tournaments.
Gill said that finance minister Pranab Mukherjee has already assured Parliament that his ministry would "get into the bottom of every angle and every aspect" of IPL .
"We will wait for the report," he said, adding the sports ministry is linked only with BCCI and has nothing to do directly with IPL.
Hitting at cricket administrators taking on too many roles, Gill without naming any individual, said, "There is a gentleman who is the selector and also the brand ambassador of a team."
Gill said his ministry was not helpless as it had influenced the BCCI affairs in the past. "No matter how passive the ministry has been, they (BCCI) come to us for foreign tours".
His statement in December, 2008 after the Mumbai terror attacks had resulted in cancellation of India's tour to Pakistan.
Gill said there was merit in a suggestion of Naresh Gujral (Akali Dal) that surpluses beyond a limit with a sports body should be taken over by the government for promotion of all other sporting activities.
"Is there a case for government and Parliament to take the huge surpluses" and use the same for other sports, he asked.
Referring to the tax exemption, even at the state level, Gill said there was no case for it especially when the governments were facing resource deficits.
Citing examples of the US and the UK, he said, in these countries even if president and prime minister want, they cannot let off taxes and the Congress would scuttle it.
He said the costs for the security arrangements for the T20 cricket matches, which are commercial in nature, must be recovered.
"You have to charge for that....who (organisers) are benefiting commercially", he said referring to shifting of IPL matches from Bangalore to Navi Mumbai on security concerns.
Referring to the recent Bangalore low intensity blasts outside Chinnaswamy stadium, Gill asked whether it was okay for a large number of security personnel occupied in matches till late hours leaving rest of the city unguarded.
Without taking any names, the minister said, "There is no question of drinking in stadium. Drinks and sports do not go together".
Responding to members' concerns over the sports bodies being hijacked by individuals for long years, Gill said while the government is not interested in controlling these organisations, there must be fair elections.
"There has to be clean and clear voters' list and independent Returning Officer and secret ballot," he said adding the system must be transparent.
Sharing members' concerns over lack of sports facilities in schools, Gill said he has requested HRD minister Kapil Sibal not to give recognition to any school which lacked playground. Besides, schools should have at least one compulsory games period.
"Our education policy is hostile towards sports," he said adding in no other country pupils carry bag-loads of books to the schools.
On a demand for Padma award for wrestler Sushil Kumar, he said his ministry had recommended it but it is up to the home ministry.
Reports had said that Kumar, winner of bronze medal in 2008 Beijing Olympics, was ignored for the honour.
Gill favoured national competitions of different games at the school level and said the country should have at least double the number of coaches from 1,500 at present.
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