The ongoing 11th edition of the Indian Premier League(IPL) matches, which were scheduled to be held in Chennai, are reportedly set to be moved out of the state, amid the ongoing protest against the Centre’s negligence for the formation of Cauvery Management Board (CMB).
Sources state that all the Chennai Super Kings’ IPL matches will be moved from the state’s Chepauk Stadium to another venue. According to Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, the ticket sales for the match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) to be held on April 20 at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, has also been postponed.
The news came just a day after Chennai Super Kings made a happy homecoming at MA Chidambaram Stadium and went on to beat Kolkata Knight Riders in the last-over thriller on Tuesday. However controversies surrounded the match as 21 Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) party workers were arrested and sent to Puzhal Central Prison for holding protests over Cauvery issue outside Chennai’s Chepauk Stadium in a bid to stop an IPL match held by throwing footwears at the ground.
The arrested party workers were charged for beating up policemen on duty who were deployed to curb the protest and ensure the match to be held between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was played without trouble.
Cases were also registered against lyricist Vairamuthu Ramasamy, director P Bharathiraja, MLA Karunas and 500 other protesters at Trilplicane police station.
The protestors were demanding that the IPL matches not be held when a more pressing matter – the Centre’s failure to constitute the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) – was at the fore.
On February 16, the court had ordered the Central government to set up the CMB and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) within six weeks.
In the ruling, the apex court reduced Tamil Nadu’s share in the Cauvery water to 177.25 thousand million cubic feet.
