Questioning why the State government has not yet initiated a probe into “the August 16, 1980 incident”, which killed 16 football fans at a stampede during a football match at Eden Gardens — the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party here on Saturday wondered why the families of the deceased were not compensated.
“West Bengal has a lot of talent in sports which is going to waste due to lack of adequate infrastructure and coaches,” said BJP MP and former cricketer Kirti Azad after a rally was organised by the party in memory of those killed.
Demanding that the State pool its resources into sports, State unit president of the BJP Rahul Sinha said an enquiry should be set up to find out why police had to resorted to lathicharge on the spectators at Eden Gardens in 1980.
