CPI(M) today hailed the state government's decision to cancel the lease of land given to Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) for its stadium and hotel, while the BJP opposed the move and said it was a blow to cricket lovers.
Prime plots of land in several places, including Dharamsala, Una, Nadaun, Shimla and Bilaspur, were leased out to the cricket body during the tenure of erstwhile BJP government in the state led by Prem Kumar Dhumal.
The CPI(M) asked the government to shift the Central University of Himachal Pradesh to the Pavilion Hotel and convert all other stadiums into multi-purpose sports facility.
Sports associations and their respective infrastructure should not remain a fiefdom of a particular ideology, organisation, individuals or family and these should be completely freed from clutches of ruling party and genuine sportspersons should run them in democratic ways unlike the HPCA, which is led by Dhumal's son Anurag Thakur, the state unit of the CPI(M) said.
The BJP, however, strongly protested against the move and said that the manner in which the government took possession of the Stadium and Hotel Pavilion at mid night, created an impression that Emergency days are back in Himachal.
BJP spokesperson Ganesh Dutt said the HPCA has made valuable contribution to promote cricket in the state and brought it on the international map, but the government in all its wisdom, chose to cancel the lease, which was big blow for cricket lovers.
Dutt said it was intriguing that when a case was already pending with Registrar (Cooperative Societies) what was the need to act in a hasty manner to take possession of the lands given by the government to HPCA. BJP workers and HPCA members in Bilaspur, Kotkhai and Nadaun also protested against the cancellation of the lease.
Earlier in the day, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh justified the cancellation of the lease and said immediate fresh elections to HPCA would be held in a "free and fair" manner.
