IPL 2016: Mumbai BJP secretary pleased with Bombay HC verdict

Following the Bombay High Court order on shifting of IPL matches out of Maharashtra after April 30, Mumbai BJP Secretary Vivekanand Gupta on Wednesday said justice has been done to drought-affected people of the state.

On April 1, Gupta has demanded that IPL cricket matches scheduled to be played in Maharashtra should be shifted out of the state due to prevailing drought conditions.

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Gupta, in a letter addressed to BCCI President Shashank Manohar, had stated that a standard cricket field requires a minimum of 80,000 to 1,00,000 litres of water per application.

Gupta said, "Its an order by the court for the people with the people. At the same time all office-bearers of cricket who are from (the) state ought to have shown solidarity with the people of Maharashtra".

"The BCCI-IPL required a court order to direct them to play out of Maharashtra. It would have been better if they on their own had shifted IPL matches. Had BCCI-IPL, on April 1 on my letter, taken a decision to shift IPL out of the state they would have been saved of this rap from the Bombay High Court," he added.

"The Court order reflects that justice has been done to the drought-affected people of Maharashtra," Gupta said. In a big blow to BCCI, the Bombay High Court today ordered shifting of all IPL matches scheduled in Maharashtra after April 30 to another state in view of the severe drought in the state, leaving the cricket board 18 days to look for new venues for 13 matches in May.