Bhakta refutes charges by judo members

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2009-02-10
PANAJI - The Goa Judo Association (GJA) president Mr Gurudatta Bhakta has categorically refuted the allegations made by GJA secretary, treasurer and joint-secretary over claims of him being involved in persistent infringement (of the rules of GJA), unconstitutional and undemocratic behaviour.
“These allegations are totally one-sided, baseless and most uncalled for,” Mr Bhakta said in his reaction offered to The Navhind Times on Monday afternoon.
Asked why did he not answer this reporter when persistently called on the mobile on Saturday, when the executive meeting of the managing committee had unanimously decided to suspend him, Mr Bhakta replied that he was busy in a meeting and could not attend any call for three hours until that night.
However, the decision to suspend him from GJA was referred to as a “preplanned” move by Mr Bhakta.
“What baffles me is the stance taken by the managing committee to suspend me as president. It seems clear that the secretary was trying to hide some thing as he is yet to reply to a notice served for several irregularities, including financial, wherein a time frame of 15 days was given to him in January,” Mr Bhakta informed.
“I am a responsible official and have served Goan sports in various capacities, be it the SAG, GOA or the Goa Judo Association. Some of the GJA members must have felt that I would be a source of threat as I was wanting to know why there were irregularities happening in the first place and they chose to squarely put the blame on me by suspending me from the association.
“But, let me tell you that my conscience is clear. I have got nothing to hide as I can only say that cheap and unprofessional methods have been used to suspend me as president and only time will prove who’s right,” Mr Bhakta stated.