Chakroborty offers permanent practice venue for ICL, assures Eden

Kolkata, Mar 27 (UNI) West Bengal Sports Minister Subhas Chakraborty today assured the Indian Cricket League (ICL) of allotting matches at Eden Gardens and a permanent practice venue in the state, protesting the BCCI's over-riding tendency of turning everyone into their 'stooges'.

Speaking at the grand re-launch of ''Kolkata Tigers' as ''Royal Bengal Tigers', a franchise owned by Mithun Chakroborty, the Minister said, ''BCCI wants stooges. They have misunderstood us.'' ''I have just ordered the Additional Chief Secretary to give a formal permission to IPL to hold the matches. Similarly, if the ICL approaches us, we see no reason for not allowing them to hold matches at Eden Gardens,'' he said.

''Any new step needs some brainstorming and something good emerges. BCCI has misunderstood the efforts taken up by ICL. So they gave instruction to their players and bodies in such a manner as if all have to become their stooges in order to maintain their cricketing life, '' he said.

''I must protest it. This is no way of tackling such a delicate situation. What will happen in future will have to be seen. Any new venture creates an impact on the society and ICL will also have its impact,'' he said.

He congratulated Mithun Chakroborty for the bold venture of joining ICL and offered his full support to the cause.

''We have some 30 stadiums in the state from Siliguri to Contai.

We will convert any one of the stadium ICL wants into a cricket ground and make it their permanent practice venue. They are welcome in the state,'' he said.

Asked how the matches will be held at Eden after CAB renewed their lease, he said, ''The west Bengal government will see to it.'' UNI BA SJC PDT KN2201