The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials are surprised that the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) felt that it was correct for CEO Rahul Johri to sign the show cause notice that was sent to all-rounder Hardik Pandya and opener KL Rahul for their inappropriate conduct in the chat show Koffee With Karan. While Pandya’s comments were downright sexist and misogynistic, Rahul was a part of the same show wherein he made a few inappropriate comments as well.
A senior BCCI official said that it couldn’t have been worse considering that the CEO just had to appear before an independent committee to clear his name from allegations of sexual harassment.
“To get Johri to sign a notice to be sent to someone for an act that disrespects women is like engaging Mahmud of Ghazni to head a task force on peace and religious tolerance,” he said.
In his response to the show cause, Pandya said he did not realise that his comments would be found offensive or disrespectful. “I made an appearance on the chat show where I have made certain statements without realising that these could be disrespectful and offend sensitivities of viewers for which I am sincerely regretful,” he wrote.
“I would like to assure you that there was no malice or any sort of ill-intent on my part to offend anyone or portray any section of the society in bad light. I made these statements in the flow of the show and had not comprehended the extent to which my statements would be found offensive.
