Politicos target April 10 IPL match in Chennai

The uncertain situation follows demands by political outfits and farmers’ bodies to postpone the IPL match or face protests inside the stadium which would highlight the Cauvery issue to a global television audience. 

Thamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader T Velmurugan, who addressed the media, said his party cadre has bought tickets to the IPL match in the MA Chidambaram stadium at Chepauk on April 10 and would stage protests to highlight the issue to the nation and the world if the organisers failed to cancel the match. He appealed to cricket fans to boycott the match to express solidarity with the farmers who are fighting for the Cauvery Management Board. 

“The IPL schedule must be changed to hold the match on some other day or in another venue. Though sports is good for the mind and body, food and water are essential for human lives. The IPL match comes at a time when all sections of people are fighting to save the state from becoming a desert. We are not opposed to cricket,” he said here.

A more aggressive Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi leader and MLA Thamimun Ansari asked, “What is the need for cricket match when people are fighting for drinking water and farmers are up in arms for the Cauvery Management Board?” Ansari, elected on the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol, asked the state government to cancel the match. “If the match is held, we will enter the ground to stop it,” he threatened. Another MLA and leader of Mukkulathor Pulipadai Karunas too issued a similar warning.

P R Pandian, coordinator of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Unions, said the IPL must not be held in Chennai until the Cauvery Management Board is formed. “We will mobilise lakhs of youth to besiege the stadium and stop the match. Holding the IPL will divert the attention of students and youth who are taking part in the Cauvery protests,” he claimed. 

Film music director James Vasanthan too appealed to the youth to boycott the IPL match in the city. “An empty stadium would take the Cauvery protests to the international stage, as people in all parts of the world will be watching the match. This is not a problem of the farmers alone. It is related to food production and our food security. It is an issue affecting the state’s economy and industries as well. Cricket lovers should make this small sacrifice and watch the match on television,” he said. 

Filmmaker P Bharathiraja urged organisers to postpone the IPL match.