Shiv Sena on Saturday hit out at BCCI for the deteriorating standard of Indian cricket and also took a swipe at its President Sharad Pawar for "raining money over the cricketers" at a time when farmers in Maharashtra are committing suicide.
"Cricket has become a mental disease which has been badly exploited by the industrialists and rich politicians" said an editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.
"Cricketers are becoming more and more rich while the farmers, who are not getting two square meals a day, are committing suicide," it added.
In a sarcastic note, the editorial said, "The son of Maharashtra and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is a divine person. He is a man who has never held a bat in his hand and yet is running the show of Indian cricket".
"The manner in which he wiped out Jagmohan Dalmia, the former BCCI Chief, from the field of cricket is another example of his miraculous powers. Now nobody is even talking about him (Dalmia)" said the editorial.
It has also said the Union Minister, who is instrumental in raining money on the players has done little to arrest the suicide of the farmers by solving their problems.
{{/usCountry}}It has also said the Union Minister, who is instrumental in raining money on the players has done little to arrest the suicide of the farmers by solving their problems.
{{/usCountry}}"The rain of money is only benefiting the cricketers. It is not going to stop the farmers' suicides, it is not going to solve the fertilizer shortage in the state and it will not solve the power and water shortage in the state" added the editorial.