Now Kalmadi demands Maken’s resignation, Sports Minister says he will not respond to a charge-sheeted person’s comments

The war of words between Suresh Kalmadi and Ajay Maken continued on Saturday with Kalmadi expressing shock at sports minister Maken's remarks against his visit to London during the Olympics, terming the comments as against the court order and a "vilification campaign" while calling for his resignation, says a report in The Times Of India. The Pune MP asserted that he would visit London and attend a meeting as president of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) during the Olympics.
"I was shocked and dismayed to read Ajay Maken's reaction to the honourable court's decision to grant me permission to visit London for the forthcoming Olympic Games," the Pune MP said during a news conference at his home here.

A special CBI court on Friday allowed Kalmadi, accused in a Commonwealth Games-related corruption case, to attend the London Olympics, drawing immediate protests and opposition from Maken. "In view of Maken going against the court decision, which is quite unbecoming of a sports minister, I request our Prime Minister to ask for his resignation for making such statements. Maken threatening the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) that he would try to ensure that I was not part of the Indian delegation shows a lack of knowledge about the functioning of autonomous sports bodies," Kalmadi said.

Meanwhile Maken on Saturday declined to comment on Suresh Kalmadi's accusation of carrying out a vilification campaign against him, saying that he would not like to respond to a person who has been charge-sheeted by the CBI, says a report in The DNA. "I would not like to respond to a person who has been chargesheetd by the CBI and suspended by the Congress party on corruption charges," Maken said.

Asked about his stand on Kalmadi's plans to attend the London Olympic Games, Maken said, "I still stand by my statement that he should not go to the Olympics as he still remains the president of the IOA and is yet to be cleared of the charges of corruption pending in the courts," he said.

Meanwhile according to newspaper reports, IOA Acting President V K Malhotra said that Kalmadi himself had not asked the national apex sports body to include him as part of the delegation. "Suresh Kalmadi, MP is not a member of the IOA delegation to London Olympics. Indian contingent for the Games has been finalised a month back and Mr Kalmadi does not figure in it," Malhotra said in a statement.

"Mr Kalmadi never asked IOA to make him a part of its delegation," he added.

Malhotra also hit out at Sports Minister Ajay Maken for writing a letter to the IOA not to allow Kalmadi go to the Olympics as part of its delegation.  "The ministry should have verified the facts from the IOA before writing the letter. The Sports Ministry letter asking the IOA not to provide any assistance or help to Mr Kalmadi holds no ground as he is not going to London as part of the Indian contingent," Malhotra said.