Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for its stance towards the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in India.
Modi, under whose guidance the IPL came to fruition for the first time back in 2008, was not happy with the BCCI's insensitivity in these crisis times when the entire nation is badly hit by the second wave of the COVID-19.
He believes that the BCCI must donate at least 10 percent of its earnings from IPL 2020 and IPL 2021 for the COVID-19 victims and rehabilitation of the families who have lost their breadwinners.
The former IPL chairman also explained that 10% donation would mean roughly INR 700 to 800 crores, but it would be a huge aid for the countrymen who are affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Modi told Mid-Day: “The BCCI should pledge to give 10 percent at least of its IPL earnings over the last two years for Covid victims and rehabilitation of the families who have lost their breadwinners. It is the fans who have made the game of cricket so big in India.
This is the time to react and give back to the nation. IPL could have done so much more. I don’t know who is stopping them. Every life matters, every Indian matter, this is a time for solidarity and coming together.”
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He further added, “There is so much you could have done…financed the vaccine, oxygen, respirators. Build temporary hospitals, use stadiums, create that kind of infrastructure. Let’s not snatch that away from them.
Let’s not deprive few more families of their daily bread. Some domestic cricketers make major earning through the IPL in these six-eight weeks to take care of almost that entire year’s earnings. Let’s not take that away.”
Modi also slammed players for not coming out strongly on the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in India.
He signed off by saying, “It is quite shameful, very, very in fact that the cricketers had not come out strongly on an everyday basis. Not to have worn black bands, not to take a knee is something that baffles me. Let’s not forget that history will document how the Indian cricketers reacted when a calamity of this magnitude stared India in the face.”
(With Mid Day Inputs)
