Embarrassing, say comrades, Priya says it146;s Baichung146;s basic right

Indian football captain Baichung Bhutia8217;s decision not to carry the Olympic torch is 8220;purely an expression of his fundamental right and his own decision...

Indian football captain Baichung Bhutia8217;s decision not to carry the Olympic torch is 8220;purely an expression of his fundamental right and his own decision,8221; Union Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, who is also president of the All India Football Federation, said today. This is in sharp contrast to the red faces in the CPM 8212; West Bengal Sports Minister Subhas Chakraborty said 8220;Baichung shouldn8217;t have done this. It8217;s embarrassing.8221;

Reached for his comments in Coimbatore where he is attending the CPM congress 8212; the party has stood by China on the issue of Tibet 8212; Chakraborty said: 8220;Baichung may have said it8217;s a personal decision. But given his huge stature in India as a superstar, it8217;s obvious this will be seen as a political move.8221;

8220;I want to talk to him about this. I know him well, I will try to tell him that this decision is not right. I will try to convince him that he should not mix sports with politics. I repeat, he shouldn8217;t have done this,8221; Chakraborty said.

Two days ago, Baichung, who is from Sikkim, sent a fax to the Indian Olympic Association office in New Delhi, turning down the invitation to participate in the torch relay on April 17. He said he was opting out as a mark of protest over the Chinese crackdown in Tibet 8212; a stand that has embarrassed the CPM whose leaders share a good rapport with him.

Baichung told The Indian Express: 8220;The Dalai Lama is God to me. I am a Buddhist. My ancestors are Tibetans. I am not going to fight with anybody. It is a religions matter and I will stick to my decision of not carrying the Olympic torch.8221;

8220;I have a lot of Tibetan fans all over the country. Fans from Dharamsala come down to watch my game whenever I am playing in New Delhi. It is on humanitarian grounds that I have decided to stand by them.8221;

Mao Siwei, China8217;s Consul General in Kolkata, said: 8220;The footballer8217;s decision is very unfortunate. Politics and sports should not be mixed at all. In any case, it is his personal decision and one can do little about it.8221;

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But Olympian Chuni Goswami stood by Baichung. 8220;He has always been a different human being. I appreciate his decision,8221; Goswami said.

Indian tennis star Leander Paes and athlete P T Usha, who too have been invited to the torch run, had a different take though.

Usha told The Indian Express: 8220;It8217;s Baichung8217;s personal decision. But it8217;s a great honour for me to run with the Olympic torch. When the government is not officially getting too involved in the issue, then I don8217;t think I should stay away from the ceremony.8221;

Paes said 8220;I am proud to be invited. I must respect the Olympics as well as the Indian Olympic Association for inviting me.8221;