Sports Minister Govind Gawde was reportedly again in the eye of the storm after the sports department’s decision to lease out the Manohar Parrikar indoor stadium at Navelim for weddings by shutting the sports facility for three days which has triggered a huge controversy. According to sports lovers, the Sports Minister has reportedly let out the indoor stadium for a wedding on August 24 by overruling the decision of the Executive Sports Director. This will set a wrong precedent and is totally unacceptable. It may be recalled that last year the indoor stadium had been leased out for a furniture exhibition. It may be recalled that in the last assembly session in reply to a point raised by Vasco MLA Krishna Daji Salkar that the Tilak Maidan in Vasco was used for only 30 out of 365 days in a year, the Sports Minister said that the ground will be kept open to sportspersons for only two hours from 4.30 to 6.30 pm. It is indeed an irony that while sportspersons and athletes are denied the use of sports grounds, sports facilities are being leased out to hold exhibitions and weddings.
