Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has questioned the court’s decision of shifting the IPL matches out of Maharashtra during this year’s IPL. Mr. Modi said that Maharashtra government had to suffer a revenue loss after IPL matches were moved out of the state.

Speaking at a programme in Pune where he launched projects under the Smart City mission across 20 cities , Mr. Modi said that cricket grounds are needed to be watered every day, whether a match is played or not.

“There is water crisis today…Sometimes, our media people distort the things way too much, and we cannot even play cricket. Wherever there is a stadium…Whether a cricket match is held or not, the ground needs to be watered 365 days (of the year),” he said.

During the IPL the Bombay High Court directed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to shift the Indian Premier League matches scheduled to be played on April 30 outside the State of Maharashtra. Four of those were to be played at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, six in the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune and three in the Vidarbha Cricket Stadium. Several players too lamented the decision during the IPL and said that IPL is being unfairly treated.

“But the country believed it that since matches are not being held, so the watering also stopped…The country believed this,” the Prime Minister added.

“They (grounds) have to be watered for 365 days, that’s how the green cover remains…Otherwise, there will be no game in the stadium even after two years…Don’t know from where (they) bring this new philosophy,” he added.