HYDERABAD: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi welcomed the Supreme Court's decision of appointing former Supreme Court judge Justice L. Nageshwara Rao to "sort out the mess" in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) and expressed the hope that the single-member panel appointed by the court will hold the association elections at the earliest.
A three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Justice S.K. Kaul, Justice Manoj Misra and Justice Aravind Kumar on Tuesday observed that Justice Rao would be suitable to be appointed to head the single-member committee at the HCA, while directing it HCA to extend required assistance to Justice Rao.
The Hyderabad MP claimed that the change would restore the former glory of cricket in Hyderabad, since deserving young people would get the opportunity to represent. " “It’s a good decision. Hyderabad’s young talented cricketers who were unable to get through will now get a chance. Cricketers who are meritorious, based on their performance, will get through. The Hyderabad cricket team would once again reach the heights and reclaim its former glory,” he remarked.
Asad denied that there was a strain in the relationship with the BRS and accused the media of attempting to foment “misunderstanding” between him and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. “I have the utmost regard for the CM, and also met KTR while the Assembly was in session. The entire Telangana region, particularly Hyderabad, experienced good development under the ruling party. However, more needs to be done. Our party hopes that the ruling party will fulfil promises, and we have been raising the issues of public concern in the Assembly),” he remarked.
When asked about his brother Akbaruddin Owaisi's claim that the MIM would contest in 50 seats, Asaduddin responded that the party would make the "right decision at the appropriate time". "Our party will take the right decision at an appropriate time since the elections are yet to be announced,” he said.
Asaduddin ridiculed speculations that the BRS and the Congress may forge an alliance for the upcoming elections by stating that the party that started the "Haath se Haath jodo" campaign first adapt to its own philosophy internally before reaching out to the general public. “Where is the Congress party? The leaders of the party are on the verge of joining other parties. When it comes to joining hands, they have failed to embrace this message in its true essence and meaning, within their own party,” he mocked.
On the ongoing row over the BBC documentary, Asad said that he stands by the Editor’s Guild, while citing the Press Club of India observation that “‘freedom of press” was of utmost importance. “I hope that the BBC will continue to show the truth to the people. The BJP leaders who are questioning its credibility) were the ones who were quoted as saying that BBC had provided them a chance to know the events during the Emergency period,” he pointed out.
