Football
This MP urges ownership of grounds for three Kolkata football clubs in Parliament
Despite functioning for around a hundred years in Indian football, the three Kolkata giants- Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Mohammedan Sporting- are yet to have ownership of their respective grounds. The Indian Army own their club premises in Kolkata Maidan and rents it to the clubs.
West Bengal Rajya Sabha member Ritabrata Banerjee raised the issue in the Upper House of the parliament on Wednesday.
"All the three century-old Kolkata giants, unfortunately, don't have the ownership of their respective grounds and club premises. Established during the colonial British era, the club got the lease of their properties during the imperial British government. but even today, the Kolkata Maidan is owned by the Indian Army and the three clubs continue as refugees," Ritabrata told so in his statement to the parliament.
The former CPI(M) leader also prompted the government to grant the respective clubs the ownership of the ground and club premises so that they can function more smoothly.
"Without the ownership of the ground and the club premises, it is very difficult to make minor changes even within the club. When modernisation is the key in sports infrastructure, this is a very serious concern for the three Kolkata giants. Taking into consideration the contribution of three century-old clubs in Indian football and most importantly the sentiments of crore and crores of football fanatic Bengali supporters of them, I urge through you to the government to look into the matter urgently and grant the three Kolkata clubs the ownership of the ground and the club premises," concluded Ritabrata.
