Ahmedabad: The controversy over the Motera Stadium, which was renamed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is not over. The Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) has come out with an explanation for the pavilion ends at the stadium being named after corporate giants Reliance and Adani.
‘In addition to donations, the companies acquired each corporate box by paying Rs 250 crore and GST tax. This is for 25 years’ – quoting association sources Timesnow Reported.
The Times Now reports that the agreement was to pay the pavilion ends in the name of the donating company. The construction cost of the stadium is Rs 800 crore.
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Adani End was already at the stadium. Reliance End was formerly known as GDMC. It was bought by Reliance. Corporate boxes on the east and west sides of the stadium are for sale.
Ahmedabad Motera Stadium, the world’s largest cricket ground, was named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. The stadium was renamed Narendra Modi after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
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The renaming of the stadium came as a surprise just before the start of the third India-England Test. The renovated stadium was inaugurated by President Ramnath Kovind. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Sports Minister Kiran Riju were also present on the occasion. The President also laid the foundation stone for the Sardal Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in the stadium complex.
The Modi Stadium is a huge structure with a capacity of 132,000 spectators. However, there are currently 40,000-50000 spectators in the third Test, keeping the social distance. The Modi Stadium is the largest cricket ground in the world, surpassing the Melbourne Stadium in Australia. Ninety thousand people are seated on the Melbourne Ground, abbreviated as MCG.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, lawyer Prashant Bhushan and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were among those who came forward following the controversy over the stadium. Rahul joked that we are two and we are two. Bhushan asked whether Modi should bat in the Ambani end or the Adani end.
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