No cricket this, says Gill on Kochi ownership row

Sports Minister MS Gill today ridiculed the ongoing ownership row involving the Kochi franchise in the Indian Premier League, saying it is "just not cricket".

"I have heard about it and all I can say is that it is just not cricket," said Gill, who has criticised the IPL in the past for commercialising the game by changing the rules and for allowing alcohol inside stadiums.

A political storm has erupted over the ownership pattern of the Kochi franchise after IPL commissioner Lalit Modi made public the names of its stakeholders. One of the shareholders, Sunanda Pushkar, is a close friend of Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor.

Modi has alleged that Tharoor wanted him to hide details of Sunanda's stake in the team, an accusation that has been denied by the Minister. Gill urged the IPL teams to disclose their stakeholders.

"Accountability should be there. Democracy applies everywhere. Democracy is like a sunflower which seeks sunshine. Therefore all institutions should work accordingly," he said.