Diana used position against me, coach Powar humiliated me: Mithali raj’s Explosive letter to BCCI
New Delhi, Nov 27: Senior Indian woman cricketer Mithali Raj Tuesday slammed Committee of Administrators member Diana Edulji and coach Ramesh Powar, saying the two are biased against her and have tried to "destroy" her.
In a scathing e-mail to the BCCI, which is in possession of PTI, Mithali said her axing from the World T20 semi final against England reduced her to tears and left her the most deflated in her over two-decade long career.
In the note to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and GM (Cricket Operations) Saba Karim, one of India's finest batswomen alleged that she was disrespected by the duo of Edulji and Powar.
"...I felt deflated, depressed and let down. I am forced to think if my services to my country are of any value to a few people in power who are out to destroy me and break my confidence," Mithali, also the ODI captain, wrote in her mail.
While Powar refused to comment on Mithali's allegations, Edulji could not be reached for a response.
Mithali spoke about how Edulji's stance backing her axing, made her feel "vulnerable". Edulji, in an interview to PTI, had stated that the team management's decision could not be questioned on selection matters.
"To put things in perspective, I have always reposed faith in diana Edulji and have always respected her and her position as a member of the COA.
"Never did I think she will use her position against me, more after hearing what all I had to go through in the Caribbean as I had spoken to her about it," Mithali wrote.
A source alleged that Mithali was forced by Edulji to divulge the details of her meeting with Johri and Karim on Monday.
"Her brazen support in the press with regard to the decision of my benching in the semi final of the T20 World Cup has left me deeply distressed, more because she knows the real facts having spoken to me," the player wrote.
Mithali has played 85 T20Is for India and has scored 2288 runs. She averages more than 50 in both the Test and ODI formats.
"May I say that I am aware that by writing this email I am making myself even more vulnerable. She is a COA member while I am just a player," she lamented.
"But the brazen support of a COA member is a clear sign of bias and also that a stance has already been taken against me. By saying 'I don't support someone' and then going all out to support my benching in the press is prejudice of the clearest sort," said Mithali.
She, however, made it clear that she has no hard feelings for T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who was a party to the decision of her being dropped for the semi-finals and stood by it even after the defeat.
However, her relationship with Powar hit nadir in the West Indies and Mithali said she still hasn't understood the breakdown.
"My issues with the coach started immediately as we landed in the West Indies. At first there were small signs that his behaviour towards me was unfair and discriminatory," she alleged.
She said that Powar's behaviour caused her "stress".
"For instance, walking off if I am sitting anywhere around, watching in the nets when others bat but choosing to walk away when I am batting in nets, if I try to go up to him to talk to start looking into his phone and keep walking," she said.
"It was embarrassing and very evident to everyone that I was being humiliated. Yet I never lost my cool.
"Finding the situation completely out of control and realising that it is important to resolve issues as it affects the team I reached out to the team manager and conveyed my grievances."
According to Mithali things went from bad to worse after that.
"After the meeting his behaviour turned worse. He would not even acknowledge me. To him I didn't exist in the team.
"If I was around he would immediately move away from the scene, if I looked to wish him he would deliberately start looking in other direction. He continued to behave badly as I have already informed you yesterday. It appeared to me that for him the meeting had hurt his ego."
Mithali said she was even asked not to show up at the ground by Powar during the game against Australia.
"In the evening after the team meeting before the Australia game, Ramesh rings up in my room and instructs me not to come to the ground as the media will be there," she alleged.
"I was taken aback as to what media has to do with me being with the team. I was told I was not to be with my own team in one of our biggest games. I was shell shocked."
Mithali said Powar also deliberately ignored her at nets to make it clear she won't play the semi-finals after which she broke down.
"It was worrying and insulting because the coach was out to destroy and humiliate me," she wrote.
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Speculations about Cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka gain momentum
Bengaluru (PTI): Speculations regarding the reshuffle of the Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet in the days ahead gained momentum in Karnataka with senior Minister Satish Jorkiholi on Wednesday stating that there are talks about such an exercise, but don't know when it will take place.
His statement came a day after Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, indicated the possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle, noting that few ministers have been given a "message" about their term.
"There are talks that it will be done. Don't know when it will be done, but there is news that some people will be changed, to change some portfolios. Such discussions are on, but I don't know when...I have not asked for anything. It is left for the high command, whom they will give and how..." Jarkiholi, who is the PWD Minister said.
To a question about whether the reshuffle will be based on performance, he said, "Maybe... it may be they (leadership) are not satisfied with some, or they may continue with the existing ministers and not do the Cabinet rejig. Can't say...there are also several seniors in our party."
Asked about whether ministers will be ready to give up the post in case of a reshuffle, Jarkiholi said, "What the high command says is final....if the list comes from Delhi (leadership of Congress), there ends the story. One should vacate the house and go...Delhi is final."
Speculations are rife about Cabinet reshuffle and evaluation of the performance of the ministers, ever since the Lok Sabha poll results. There has also been a demand from a section of MLAs, who are ministerial aspirants, to be inducted into the Cabinet. Some have openly expressed their wish to become ministers.
CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy Shivakumar's Delhi visit is also adding to the speculations.
While Siddaramaiah is leaving for the national capital tomorrow evening, Shivakumar is already there.
Home Minister G Parameshwara earlier in the day said, Cabinet reshuffle is the prerogative of the chief minister and he would take a decision in consultation with the state Congress president and the high command.
"I don't know about it. Cabinet reshuffle is the chief minister's prerogative. He will consult the Pradesh Congress Committee president and go about it. This has been the practice. I don't know what decisions they make. It has to be done in consultation with the high command," Parameshwara said in response to a question on Cabinet reshuffle.
To a question about Shivakumar's statement, he said, "He (Shivakumar) is the party state president. I don't know what messages he has sent (to some ministers)."
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao in Shivamogga said there is no development for now regarding Cabinet reshuffle, but everyone should be prepared for it.
Reacting to Shivakumar's statement, he said, "It is good if the reshuffle is done after two years as others should also get the opportunity. He might have said it with that intention. It is not that only we should continue (as ministers) and others shouldn't come (to the post), so everyone should be prepared..."
Meanwhile, Jarkiholi, who is also seen as the contender for the KPCC president post, said party presidentship is not an easy job. It is a difficult task and a responsibility to handle.
"Everyone's cooperation is required to handle the post, but there is no discussion about changing the president post for now....it is not an easy job. It is like standing on thorns, it is a difficult job," he added.
Shivakumar, who has completed four years as president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), is currently on an extension in the post.
