Chidambaram slams IPL organisers for taking tournament out of country

New Delhi, Apr 10 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has lashed out at the Indian Premier League (IPL) organisers for taking the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament out of the country.

"We could have done it, but only if the IPL organisers had reflected on the concerns of the police and not tried to pressurize the State chief ministers," he told the CNN-IBN television channel in an interview.

Chidambaram further said the IPL could have been held in India in two parts if the organisers had taken into account security concerns.

"I am not letting out any secret by that. If they had only listened to the concerns of the police, this tournament could have been played in two parts. First the league part and then give a break for the critical three or four week period and then the knock-out part," he added.

The Union Home Minister denied that there was any ego clash with IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi. Where is the ego? I am too small a person compared to Modi. The point is they did not try to understand the compulsions and concerns of the police force," he added.

Chidambaram said the organisers should have understood the concern of the police.

He stated that he would be amongst the 98 percent of viewers who would watch the tournament matches on television.

"I will watch it on television. Only two per cent of the viewers watch the IPL matches on the ground," he added. (ANI)