Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, 3 May, said the Congress-led UPA government had shifted "India's favourite" tournament – Indian Premier League (IPL) – out of the country twice during their tenure as they couldn't ensure security.
"IPL matches were played outside the country on two occasions, in 2009 and 2014, because the government did not give permission citing elections. They said there's election and police is busy so we cannot have IPL," PM Modi said at a rally in Hindaun City of Rajasthan’s Karauli district on Friday.
“But now, elections are happening and so is the IPL. There was Navratri, Ramnavmi and Hanuman Jayanti too. Ramzan will be here soon. But IPL is going on in the country.”PM Narendra Modi
As the IPL coincided with the general elections in 2009, the then government had refused to commit security by paramilitary forces. Consequentially, the BCCI had held the second season of the league in South Africa.
In 2014, part of the IPL tournament was held outside India after then Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde reportedly denied the provision of security for the league in lieu of general elections.
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