Chaos ‘regrettable’,says Relay team

“I was right in thinking that there was nothing wrong in taking the replica of the Queen’s Baton to Subrata Roy as he is also the head of the protocol sub-committee of the Commonwealth Games. They (the district administration officials) were also right as the security of the Relay is their concern. But it was just the replica of the baton,” said Kadyan.

The team members met the Lucknow DM in the evening. “Along with Shruti Menon,project manager of Queen’s Baton Relay department and Alka Lamba,convenor of Queen’s Baton Relay Sub-Committee,I disscused the issue with the DM,” said Kadyan,adding: “What Subrata Roy held was just the replica of the Queen’s Baton.” He alleged that the Relay Team members had taken the baton’s replica to Roy’s residence on Friday evening as well,but “no objection had been raised then”. “We had no idea that today’s visit would give rise to such a confusion,” he added.

General Secretary UP Olympic Association Anandeshwar Pandey,meanwhile,said he had contacted Sahara officials on Friday “as per the wishes” of the Baton Relay team. Interestingly,he said he “will not contradict any statements published on his behalf”.

In a press release late in the evening,Abhijit Sarkar,Head,Corporate Communications,Sahara India,said: “The Queens Baton Relay arrived at Sahara Shaher on the instructions of the organising committee of Commonwealth Games 2010. Saharasri Subrata Roy Sahara is also the chairman of the protocol sub-committee of Commonwealth Games 2010.”

The release added: “Yesterday,the organising committee relay members called upon Subrata Roy in the evening with the baton,which they had brought along with them. Today,in the spirit of the relay,the baton was again brought to Sahara Shaher by the committee members,amid all necessary protocols and was then taken back.”