‘Already under debt’: Maharashtra opposition leader questions Rs 11 crore cash reward to Indian cricket team – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket team is back home and enjoying star treatment after the victory in the ICC T20 World Cup. In a facilitation event held at the Maharashtra assembly, chief minister Eknath Shinde announced a reward of Rs 11 crore for Team India. Now the opposition has questioned the cash reward asking ‘what was the need’.

Maharashtra assembly leader of opposition Vijay Wadettiwar on Saturday raised objections over the cash reward to the Indian cricket team and said the money instead could have been used for the farmers or the youths of the state.

“In the last four months, 1,068 farmers have committed suicide. It would have been good had they given money to the distressed farmers. They gave such a huge sum to the Indian Cricket Team, what was the need? Team India played for the country and not themselves, this is why the streets were flooded to welcome them,” Wadettiwar told news agency ANI.

Stating that Maharashtra is already under a debt of Rs 7.92 lakh crore, Wadettiwar said the Shinde government is “busy bringing in money and forming governments”.

“The future of youth is in danger, the farmers are in distress, and they are giving away huge sums of money. Maharashtra is already under a debt of Rs 7.92 lakh crore, and they are going to spend another Rs 1 lakh crore for the Ladli Bahan Yojana. The law and order of the state have gone out of control. The youth have been put at risk because of drugs. They are busy bringing in money and forming governments,” Wadettiwar said.

CM Shinde made the announcement of Rs 11 crore reward for Indian cricket team at Vidhan Bhavan where four Mumbai players from the team were honored.

The BCCI had earlier announced a whopping prize money of Rs 125 crore for the players and support staff. This was India’s second success at the T20 World Cup, ending a 17-year wait since MS Dhoni’s team lifted the trophy first in the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2007.