A friendly cricket match between Parliamentarians, with the Rajya Sabha Chairman XI facing the Lok Sabha Speaker XI, was played at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, on Sunday. Lok Sabha Speaker XI beat Rajya Sabha Chairman XI by 73 runs in the friendly cricket match of Parliamentarians.
Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda was awarded the Best Bowler of the match, while BJP MP Nishikant Dubey was awarded the Best Fielder.
The political leaders from both Houses of Parliament gathered on the cricket ground to promote the goal of a Tuberculosis (TB)-free India by 2025.
The 20-over cricket match, "TB Mukt Bharat Awareness Cricket Match," was played to raise awareness about TB and highlight the importance of public health in India's journey towards becoming a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047.
BJP MP Anurag Thakur captained Lok Sabha Speaker XI while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju led Rajya Sabha Chairman XI.
According to ANI, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said several MPs had shown up to the match. “With the mantra of fitness...this event has been scheduled to fill people with vigour through sports. I believe everyone will play with energy. Our mantra is 'TB Free India' and 'Fit India Movement'."
"Without fitness, you cannot serve the country. You have to be fit mentally and physically," he added.
Meanwhile, Thakur said, that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a goal to make India TB-free by 2025, ahead of the global target of 2030. Since 2015, India has seen a 38% reduction in TB-related deaths, compared to a global average decline of 8%. New TB cases in India have dropped by 18%, indicating better progress than the global trend.
While effective treatments are available, India is the most populated country and faces challenges, The government offers free TB medicines and provides Rs 1,000 to patients for support. Additionally, cases are systematically tracked to ensure effective treatment and containment, he added, as per ANI.
He later said that such events will be organised such matches “in various states where MPs teams will play with MLAs too in future so that every public representative becomes aware and makes others aware too. We will go with the pledge to make India, TB-free...We will fulfill the dream of PM Modi of making India, TB-free...I thank all players that they played well. Hitting a ton or not hitting a ton is a different matter. Century is not important, the sportsman spirit behind the game is to make a TB-free India..."
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha praised the initiative, "It is wonderful that MPs from both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha have come together for such a noble cause. I hope we see more initiatives where political leaders from different parties unite to fight for important causes like this."