Keep aside differences, soak in the spirit of football, says Abhishek
KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday urged political opponents to keep aside differences and soak in the spirit of football throughout this month in his Diamond Harbour Parliamentary constituency as he inaugurated the Diamond Harbour MP Cup football tournament at SDO ground in Diamond Harbour.
He was greeted by a sea of people, who had assembled at the ground, to welcome their MP. "The spirit of competition and enmity on the football ground should be limited to the field itself. When you go outside the football ground, the spirit of brotherhood and harmony should prevail among all of you. Football is one of the most popular sports in the world and throughout this month the common people in the Diamond Harbour constituency should only enjoy football to their hearts content. Politics will start again from January next year," Banerjee said.
This is the 5th edition of the Diamond Harbour MP Cup and 128 teams hailing from seven Assembly constituencies under Diamond Harbour Parliamentary Constituency are participating in the tournament, which will continue till December 30. The final match will be held at Batanagar stadium.
Banerjee said that the Diamond Harbour Football Club has made its way to the Premier Division from first division due to the sustained efforts towards promotion of sports.
"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee always says that people are free to practice their own religion but festivities are for all. So talking about politics and fighting political opponents should be taken up at another forum," Banerjee added.
He added that similar football tournaments are being held presently at different places in Bengal under the initiative of MPs or MLAs.
"We have shown the way to all of them by starting the MP Cup for the first time in 2017," Banerjee said.
Noted singer Honey Singh sang at the inauguration ceremony, following which the first match of the tournament was played between Diamond Harbour and Budge Budge.
