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States » EastPosted at: May 22 2025 9:14PM


Bengal sports minister slams decision to move matches from Eden Gardens

Kolkata, May 22 (UNI): The decision to relocate the second IPL qualifier and final from Kolkata's iconic Eden Gardens to Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium has sparked a political controversy with West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas accusing the Centre and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of playing politics against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Biswas said the decision has depriving sports enthusiasts in Bengal of witnessing the marquee matches.

Addressing a media meet, Biswas alleged that the decision was "politically motivated", targeting Banerjee's government.

Biswas alleged that this “discrimination” is a broader pattern of neglect by the central government. “Be it the 100-day work scheme, the housing scheme, or infrastructure projects, Bengal has consistently been denied its rightful dues. Over Rs 1.87 lakh crore remains unpaid. Now even cricket fans are not spared,” he alleged.

Interestingly enough, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar claimed on social media that the decision to shift the venue from Kolkata was because of the law-and-order situation in the state.

The state’s sports minister, sitting alongside the commissioner of Kolkata police Monoj Verma refuted the allegation. “They are targeting Mamata Banerjee, but in doing so, they have unfairly denied Bengal’s sports lovers the chance to watch the IPL playoffs and final. Sukanta Majumdar is lying; the BCCI has clearly stated that the match was moved due to weather, not security,” he said.

Addressing the issue of security, Biswas dismissed any concerns by citing the smooth conduct of seven IPL matches during the league stage at Eden Gardens. “Each game saw around 60,000-65,000 spectators without any untoward incident,” he said.

Adding fuel to the fire, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh raised questions about a now-deleted social media post by Majumdar that allegedly linked former cricketer Sourav Ganguly and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Ghosh asked why the post was removed and demanded transparency. UNI XC SSP
Tags: #Bengal sports minister slams decision to move matches from Eden Gardens
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