New Delhi, Aug 27: In a controversial move, the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) today decided to rechristen the iconic Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium as Arun Jaitley Stadium in the memory of the late BJP leader who passed away on Saturday.
The renaming will take place on September 12 at a function where a stand at the Kotla will be named after India captain Virat Kohli as announced earlier.
The ground will continue to be known as the Feroz Shah Kotla, as it is only the stadium that has been renamed by the DDCA.
Speaking on this initiative, DDCA president and pro-Hindutva journalist Rajat Sharma, went on to claim: "It was Arun Jaitley's support and encouragement that players like Virat Kohli, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Ashish Nehra, Rishabh Pant and many others could make India proud."
The announcement by Mr Sharma, who happens to be a self-proclaimed fan of many BJP leaders including PM Narendra Modi and Jatiley, has already sparked controversy, with many people taking to social media to slam the attempt to saffronize cricket and gain political benefits.
Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1309 – 20 September 1388), after whom the stadium was named, was an iconic ruler of the Tughlaq Dynasty, who reigned over the powerful and vast Sultanate of Delhi.
Jaitley, during his tenure as DDCA president, is credited with renovating the stadium into a modern facility, increasing its capacity to accommodate more fans besides constructing world class dressing rooms.
The function, to be held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, will be graced by the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.
The Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium is the second-oldest cricket stadium in India after Kolkata's Eden Gardens and was established in 1883. The stadium's capacity is currently at over 40,000.
It has played host to 34 Test matches, 25 ODIs and 5 T20Is. Besides that, it also hosts matches for the Delhi cricket team as well as the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals.
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