Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The All India Chess Federation (AICF) is acting like a powerful queen on a chess board, hunting down the opponents, officials from the state body told Free Press on Saturday.
Madhya Pradesh State Level Chess Association was disaffiliated during the special meeting of AICF general body held in Jaipur on Thursday.
“No viable reason was given. AICF actions were moved, maybe, revenge. It is being said that who had contested the elections and those who had voted against the present management are being purged,” Kapil Saxena, the secretary of Madhya Pradesh State Level Chess Association, said.
Saxena further said, “Till recently, everything was fine between the state association and the AICF. In last two months, the complaints were sent to AICF against us. I had told AICF that the complaints were baseless. Out of the 50 districts, chess associations in 40 districts are affiliated to us,” Saxena added.
However, there is no official communication from AICF about the disaffiliation.
The AICF treasurer Naresh Sharma has denied the allegations and said they are ridiculous. “We are not purging those who contested or voted against us in the elections. The state bodies of Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala did not vote for us in the elections. No action has been taken against them,” he said.
According to Sharma, there were complaints against Madhya Pradesh State Level Chess Association and hence action was taken. A five-member ad-hoc committee has been formed to oversee the work until further notice, he added.
At the same meeting, a three-year suspension notice was handed out to AICF joint secretary and International Master Atanu Lahiri, post which there have been complaints from all zones of the country.
