New Delhi:
The Bharatiya Janata Party's Maharashtra unit has appealed to the governing council of the Indian Premier League (IPL) not to hold matches in the state with several regions in the grip of a severe drought. Leader of opposition in the state legislative council Vinod Tawade said he has written to IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla.
"What sense does it make to use many thousand litres of water to maintain the pitch on which cricket matches are played," the BJP leader said, adding, "This water is used in a state seeing the worst drought of the century. It is not justified."
A total of 16 matches, eight in Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium and eight in Pune's Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, are scheduled to be played in Maharashtra.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi Mr Shukla, "IPL matches do not consume so much of water that there will be drought. People in Mumbai should consume less water in their bungalows."
Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Shiv Sena have also objected to IPL matches being played in the city citing the same reasons.
Shiv Sena last week asked owners of IPL teams to contribute Rs.500 crore towards drought relief with party spokesperson Sanjay Raut saying, "Otherwise, permission should not be given to play the matches in the state. If the government does not do so, Shiv Sena will decide what to do next," he said.
"My question to Sharad Pawar - whose brainchild IPL is - is whether such matches should happen in the state at a time like this," Raj Thackeray quipped at a press conference.
Mr Pawar's nephew
Ajit, who is also Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, assured Opposition lawmakers today that the government will take affirmative action depending on the water situation at the venues of the IPL matches.
The IPL's sixth season will begin April 3 and end May 26.