Will the British Queen still have the right to tell us what is right and what is wrong for India? Similarly, will the Commonwealth Games (CWG), a Queen's legacy, holds the right to decide what is good for India & Indian Sports? Is National Interest and a decision purely taken on national interest be questioned and its intensions be scrutinised by the foreign authorities serving their own financial interest?

The manner in which the CWG has attacked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and its president for their demand to boycott 2022 CWG in Birmingham due to non-inclusion of shooting, smacks of utter authoritarian despotism once characterized by the monarchy and Queen's rule. The IOA president Narendra Batra was bold enough to call for India's boycott of 2022 CWG in Birmingham as it was reducing and curtailing India's medal chances by one third by excluding or dropping Shooting from the Games.

READ | Amit Panghal Sails Into Pre-quarters At World Boxing Championships

It will have a catastrophic effect on India's medals chances and tally which goes against national interest. So is IOA & its president wrong in pursuing national interest? The IOA has hit back hard on Commonwealth Games Federation's (CGF) Asia region top officials for questioning its president Batra's right to call for the boycott. The IOA shot back a strongly-worded letter to Chan, a copy of which is in possession of Republic TV, condemning the statement of the CGF and terming it "unwarranted." The minutes of the meeting of CGF General Assembly read that Batra "cannot speak for the country (India)" when he proposed the Games' boycott.

READ | Here's What Kiren Rijiju Said To Avoid Boxing With Mary Kom

IOA's letter

IOA Secretary General, Rajeev Mehta wrote in the letter: "With reference to minutes of Asia Regional Meeting of Commonwealth Sport held on 3rd September 2019, the CGA/NOC India condemns the statement challenging the rights of our president. The recording of such a statement was unwarranted and we hope needful corrections would be made soon... Although CGA/NOC India has been overlooked many times despite the fact that India is the only nation in Asia that has hosted the CWG in the last two decades, we have maintained a cordial relationship with the office of CGF and all member countries in the region... The President of CGA/NOC India, who is also president of International Hockey Federation (FIH) and member of International Olympic Committee (IOC), is a known international sports administrator. The recent communication with regard to exclusion of shooting from the sports programme of Birmingham 2011 was not essentially a reflection of our position on commonwealth sport but it was the anguish of a billion people."

READ | Amit Panghal Makes History; 1st Indian In World Boxing C'ship Final

Boycott of 2022 Birmingham CWG

The IOA had in July proposed a boycott of the 2022 Birmingham CWG for dropping shooting from the roster, and sought the government's approval. In its Executive Board meeting in June, the CGF left out shooting from the 2022 Birmingham Games while recommending the inclusion of three new sports. The decision to leave out shooting has dealt a big blow to India which had won as many as 16 medals out of 66 in the 2018 Gold Coast CWG. The sport has featured in every Commonwealth Games since 1966 with the exception of Edinburgh 1970. The CGF, however, had taken the position that it was the host nation's prerogative to decide the fate of shooting, which has always been an optional sport in the CWG.

READ | Amit Panghal Wins World Silver In India's Best-ever Campaign