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'Govt. will crackdown on match fixers'

Union Minister for Sports Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa today said the government will begin a crackdown on those found guilty of fixing cricket matches in India.

Asked whether the government is planning a crackdown in view of large scale reports alleging the involvement of Indian players and bookies in match-fixing, Dhindsa said: ''Definitely, because the game of cricket is involved.''

He said tomorrow's meeting, convened by him, with former managers and captains of Indian teams and BCCI officials, will deliberate on various aspects of the issue and chalk out strategy to deal with the menace. ''Let us see what happens at the meeting,'' he said.

Regarding Indian coach Kapil Dev's suggestion to suspend the Indian team's participation in international tournaments till the 'mess' is cleared, Dhindsa said it will also be discussed at the meeting.

About the rationale of convening the meeting, he said, "It is important to get everybody's views on the subject."

International Cricket Council president Jagmohan Dalmiya, BCCI president A C Muthiah, three of his predecessors Madhavrao Scindia, N K P Salve and Inderjit Singh Bindra, BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele, its vice-president and union heavy industries minister Manohar Joshi, information and broadcasting minister and DDCA president Arun Jaitley and Indian coach Kapil Dev are expected to attend the meeting.

Former captains Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Bishen Singh Bedi and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi are also likely to be present. Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly is unlikely to be a part of the deliberations as he is playing County cricket in England.

UNI