Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday favoured legalising betting in sports in India. He lent unqualified support to BCCI chief N. Srinivasan, who is facing demands of resignation. “Worldwide it is there. You are betting in Dubai, you are betting in England, in America, why not in India,” said Dr. Abdullah, who represents the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association in the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
“Why should he [Mr. Srinivasan] resign,” Dr. Abdullah retorted when a journalist cited the swelling demand for the BCCI chief’s ouster. The questioner said Mr. Srinivasan’s son-in-law was arrested for his alleged involvement in IPL fixing scandal.
“How does it matter? If my son-in-law is involved, it does not mean I have to step down. Let the investigation get over. If it comes out in probe that Mr. Srinivasan is responsible, he will go. He is an honourable man,” Dr. Abdullah said.
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He was laying the foundation stone for the Central University at Barsoo in Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s Assembly constituency.
He disagreed with his Chief Minister-son who had tweeted the other day that sports should be left to sportspersons alone.
Asserting that sports and politics were inseparable, Dr. Abdullah said: “The day you take politics out of sport, there will be no sport.”
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