Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Sports Minister V Abdulrahiman Sunday drew criticism for saying “those starving need not go and watch the match” amid low turnout of spectators within the ODI match between India and Sri Lanka right here.

The Greenfield Stadium within the Kerala capital which has a capability of 55,000 spectators is claimed to have recorded an attendance of lower than 10,000 individuals throughout the last sport of the 3-match ODI sequence between India and Sri Lanka.

Stating that the BCCI can be apprised concerning the low turnout, KCA president Jayesh George stated the affiliation would additionally “communicate with the minister to remove his misunderstanding”.

Speaking to media individuals earlier Sunday concerning the match ticket gross sales, Abdulrahiman stated: “What is the need of reducing the tax? The demand is that the country is witnessing price rise, so the tax should be reduced. Those who are starving need not go and watch the match.”

The KCA president, nonetheless, stated that the CBSE examinations in addition to the Pongal pageant may have been the opposite components that may have led to the low turnout within the match, whereas not sounding a lot appreciative of the Minister’s remarks.

When the match started on the Greenfield International Stadium, a turnout of solely 7,000 individuals was reported.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress and the BJP have come out strongly towards the assertion of the minister.

Opposition chief VD Satheeshan stated: “People were shocked to hear such an absurd and rude statement from a minister and the state’s democratically elected government.”

He additionally stated the Chief Minister “should not allow the minister to sit for even a day in the chair”.

Kerala unit BJP president Okay Surendran stated “Abdulrahiman’s statement was irresponsible”, and the federal government ought to have withdrawn the steep hike in leisure tax.

IANS