Kolkata, July 28 (IANS) In a sharp departure from recent years, there were no fireworks at the Cricket Association of Bengal’s (CAB) 79th Annual General Meeting that folded up in 40 minutes with all members of president Jagmohan Dalmiya’s panel getting elected uncontested.
Many members of the cash-rich body, that had a net income of Rs.80 million in 2009-10, were heard saying that it was the shortest AGM the association ever had.
Dalmiya, who has been the CAB president since 1993 except for a 19-month hiatus after he resigned in December 2006 on being expelled from the Board of control for Cricket in India, later said that the CAB would lay special emphasis on coaching of the senior team and improving standards of umpiring in local cricket.
‘Last year, our team did not perform well in senior cricket. So we will give stress on proper coaching of the boys,’ Dalmiya said.
Regarding the passage of a new taxation bill in the state assembly levying a 20 per cent amusement tax on sporting event tickets costing Rs 500 and more on a daily basis and Rs 3,000 and more on a season basis, Dalmiya said he would talk to finance minister Asim Dasgupta on the issue.
‘The problem has two sides. On the one hand, tax has been imposed during some sporting events. Again, the upcoming Commonwealth Games has been fully exempted from tax,’ he said.
‘Moreover, some of the tickets have been put on sale through internet. We have to see how the tax is calculated,’ Dalmiya said. One hundred and twelve of the 121 CAB members were present at the AGM.
Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, who represented Mohammedan Sporting, remained mum. Union Minister of state for shipping Mukul Roy, represented Greer Sporting.
Asked whether Ganguly would turn out for Bengal in the coming season, Dalmiya replied: ‘We will leave it to him. He is a legendary cricketer. He is the best person to decide about whether he will play’.
However, Ganguly’s brother Snehasish alleged that there was no scope to place views on any topic on the agenda. ‘After every topic on the agenda was placed, some members started shouting pass, pass and it was passed. Can cricket be developed like this?’
