Chess administration kicks up another storm

The annual general body meeting of the Orissa State Chess Association ended on a stormy note in Bhubaneswar today with some members staging a walkout in protest against OSCA’s refusal to accord membership to interested individuals and organisations. The members included OSCA’s working president Kumuk Kumar Nath, Cuttack District Chess Association secretary Vivek Kumar Tibarewal and Barabati Chess Academy secretary Satya Ranjan Patnaik. The walkout followed pandemonium as around 50 active and former players, who had come from different districts to apply for membership, gave vent to their displeasure. ‘‘I came from Balasore to seek membership. But I was denied despite being a State champion,’’ said Debasis Chakraborty. The representatives from Jajpur, Ganjam and Nayagarh districts also expressed similar resentment. ‘‘By raising hands, the meeting decided not to induct any fresh members. Most of the existing members know nothing about the game, where as well-known players are being deprived of membership,’’ lamented Tibarewal. ‘‘OSCA president (Arati Bijoy Mohanty) and secretary (Siddheswar Mohapatra) have been manipulating the membership affair with the sole aim to cling on to power and carry on their misrule. An effort was made to involve leading players and people who are willing to promote the sport in different districts of the State. But the OSCA did not allow it. The action will not do any good to the game in the State,’’ lamented Nath. On membership, OSCA mandarins are no doubt playing a dubious role. They did not reveal the list of members despite requests from all quarters, including the State Directorate of Sports, which sought it under the Right to Information Act. However, after the stormy AGM, the OSCA president and the secretary disclosed the list, which included 26 life, 22 general and four affiliated members. Mohanty also said that the State body had accepted Puri District Chess Association’s proposal to host the National under-19 championship early next year and had forwarded the proposal to All India Chess Federation, the apex National body, as well.