Jharkhand cricket president unfazed despite effigies being burnt

Ranchi, Jan 18 (IANS): Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) president Amitabh Choudhary remains unfazed despite his effigies being burnt in response to his invitation to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for the third One-Day International (ODI) between India and England to be held here Saturday.

In an incident of politics taking over cricket, Congress party workers here Tuesday burnt effigies of Choudhary at the Albert Ekka Square for inviting Modi, who is also the Gujarat Cricket Association’s (GCA) president.

The party workers said that by inviting an accused of the 2002 Gujarat, JSCA had insulted the state.

However, Choudary remained unfazed stating: “I don’t want to respond to all this. We have invited several other state association members and presidents including Modi who is the GCA president. He, at the same time, also happens to be the chief minister of Gujarat,” Choudhary told IANS.

The ODI here will be the first ever international cricket match to be held in the state capital and will be played in the newly built JSCA International Stadium.