Despite the serious controversy surrounding the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), the cricket board unveiled the statue of late Arun Jaitley at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium. Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled the statue on the 68th birth Anniversary of late administrator and BJP veteran on December 28.
The 6-feet-tall statue was sculpted by renowned sculptor Ram Sutar Art Creations Private Limited. The statue of Jaitley was erected inside the premises of the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium. The statue is reportedly worth INR 15 lakhs and weighs around 800kg.
The ceremony was attended by BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, India opener Shikhar Dhawan, former Indian cricketer & BJP MLA Gautam Gambhir, and BCCI Vice President Rajeev. Union Minister Hardeep Puri alongside countless DDCA officials were also present at the unveiling ceremony.
Former Indian spin veteran and captain Bishan Singh Bedi criticized the idea of installing Jaitley’s statue at the premises of Kotla. Bedi wrote a letter addressing to the President of DDCA & son of the late politician, Rohan Jaitley to remove his name from the Bishan Singh Bedi Stand and revoke his membership at DDCA.
The incident has now got into a verbal spat after Bedi threatened the association to take legal action. The DDCA President called the former cricketer ‘Bhishma Pitamah of Delhi cricket’ and said, “There are better ways of discussing. His name on the stands is his legacy, an honour bestowed upon him. These matters have to be decided by the Apex Council. It’s not in my power to remove anyone’s name. We have discussed it within the DDCA. We are going to request him to reconsider it. It’s a long affiliation between the DDCA and Mr. Bedi.”