NEW DELHI, Oct 25: India discard Manoj Tiwary, who was involved in an ugly on-field altercation with Gautam Gambhir in a Ranji Trophy match, today claimed that the Delhi skipper had made racist remarks about former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly and Bengalis.
�He made racist remarks made about Sourav Ganguly and Bengalis. I spoke to Sourav Ganguly and he is very upset that his name has been dragged in the matter. We will never accept anything against Sourav Ganguly,� Tiwary said.
�Gautam Gambhir is not saying the truth. If I had done what Gambhir is saying why have I been fined 40 percent and him 70 percent,� the Bengal cricketer added.
Gambhir and Tiwary had nearly came to blows on Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Bengal at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium here yesterday and umpire K Srikanth had to step in to defuse the situation.
The two players were summoned for a hearing after the day�s play by Match Referee Valmick Buch.
Buch has said that detailed report has gone to BCCI and they will now decide the quantum of punishment.
�I don�t mind sledging but abusing someone�s mother is not right,� Tiwary said.
The incident happened in the eighth over yesterday when Partha Sarathi Bhattacharjee got out of Manan Sharma�s bowling and Tiwary came in to bat at No.4 wearing a cap.
Tiwary first took guard and was about to take strike. But he stopped the bowler and signalled at the dressing room to bring his helmet as a pacer was operating from the other end.
Delhi players felt that it was a deliberate time wasting tactic.
Manan ticked off Manoj and he told him to lay off. All of a sudden, Gambhir, at first slip, got into the action and started abusing the Bengal skipper, who then retaliated. � PTI