Bengal loyal to China, but none from state to join torch relay

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Sabyasachi Bandopadhyay

Posted online: Thursday , April 17, 2008 at 01:58:52
Updated: Thursday , April 17, 2008 at 01:58:52

Kolkata, April 16 The state government has banned rallies by Tibetans twice. But the irony is that Kolkata will go unrepresented at the Olympic torch relay to be held in Delhi tomorrow.

For various reasons, all four invitees — former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, football captain Baichung Bhutia, former football captain PK Banerjee and Bengal Olympic Association (BOA) president Paresh Nath Chatterjee — are not going to take part in the torch relay.

The Kolkata police, which had denied permission for a three-day rally at the Metro Channel from April 12, again denied permission to Students for Free Tibet (SFFT) to hold a dharna tomorrow at the same venue.

“We went to Lalbazar but were told that the SFI is to hold a rally there. Some officers also said such rallies were banned in Kolkata,” said a member of SFFT.

As for the relay, while Bhutia refused to take part to express solidarity with Tibetans, Ganguly cited his engagement with the Indian Premier League.

The first match of Knight Riders, of which Ganguly is the captain, is to be held at Bangalore on April 18. The team will play Rahul Dravid’s Bangalore Royal Challengers.

P K Banerjee, captain of Indian football team that played in 1960 Rome Olympics, who has not been keeping well recently, was keen on joining the rally. A week ago, he had told The Indian Express that he would run at least 100 metres at the relay. But the veteran footballer again fell sick last week and had to give up the idea.

“The doctors have advised him complete rest. So he decided against going there. He has written to Suresh Kalmadi, president of Indian Olympic Association, expressing his inability to go,” a member of Banerjee’s household told The Indian Express. Paresh Nath Chatterjee, the BOA president, also said he was not going to Delhi. “I wish I could go, but some personal problems have cropped up,” he said.

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