If people are wondering why India does not win more medals in sport at the international level, this is one good reason
If people are wondering why India does not win more medals in sport at the international level, this is one good reason. A Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) rally held at an Agripada maidan resulted in one of the city's oldest volleyball tournament, the 54-year-old Callan Cup that was scheduled to begin yesterday, being postponed to today.
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stage set for politics, not sport: Workers prepare for a Bahujan Samaj Party rally at A R Soofi ground in Agripada. PICs/SHADAB KHAN |
The BSP held a political rally yesterday on the A R Soofi ground, popularly known as the Jhoola Maidan ground at Agripada.
The preparations for the rally began on Sunday, February 8 itself, with workers digging the ground to erect a pandal and a stage.
Jonas Kumar, programme assistant of the YMCA who looks after the ground, said, "The civic authorities gave permission to this political rally without informing us. Suddenly on Sunday morning, we saw that the ground had been dug up and decorators had come in for preparation of the rally."
The BMC 'E' ward office said, "Permission had been granted for two days February 10 and 11." When asked how a sports ground could be given to a political party, the spokesperson, who refused to give his name, said, "They are supposed to remove the pandal and restore the ground to what it was by today."u00a0
No practiceRegular basketball practice at the ground has been stopped since Sunday, as the chairs and the pandal have swallowed the basketball court. Basketball coach Rizwan Ansari who coaches boys (under-13 to under-18) at the ground said, "This is the first time I have seen such disruption in my 15 years at this ground.
We have missed basketball practice since Sunday and I do not know when we will re-start. Since it took four days to erect the pandal, there are places where the ground has been dug to put in poles, it might take a day or two at least to get it back in shape."
This historic maidan, which is a sanctuary for sportspersons in the crowded Agripada area, also has a mud wrestling ring (an akhada), which is more than 50 years old. People could not use the akhada or the gymnasium either.
Said one coach on anonymity, "This is criminal misuse of a ground that is meant for sports and sportspersons."u00a0
Observers say angrily, "It is time to decide whether maidans are meant for sport or politics."
With this kind of callous indifference to sportspersons who struggle for places to practise and play in Mumbai, one should not be surprised as to why this city continues to slide down in the national sporting hierarchy.
Teams for volleyballu00a0 Callan Cup 1u00a0 YMCA 'A'
2u00a0 Borivali YMCA
3u00a0 BPCL
4u00a0 BEST
5u00a0 BMC
6u00a0 MBPTSC
7u00a0 Parle Boys
8u00a0 YMCA B
9u00a0 MPBT Wadala
10u00a0 GRP
11u00a0 Chembur YMCA
12u00a0 Dadar Parsi
