AP Govt ready to do justice to cricketer Hanuma Vihari: Minister Lokesh

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Minister for Human Resources Development (HRD) Nara Lokesh has said that the Government is extending a very warm welcome to the star cricketer and Telugu luminary Hanuma Vihari back in State who resigned from the captaincy of the Andhra cricket team in a humiliating manner due to excessive political interference.

In a press note released here on Tuesday, Lokesh said the people vociferously rejected the political outfit which acted in a dictatorial manner forgetting the basic fact that political interference should not be there in sports. The previous YSRCP-led government started its political game by appointing P Sarath Chandra Reddy, who was an accused in the Delhi liquor scam, as the President of the AP Cricket Association, Lokesh said.

An outstanding cricketer like Hanuma Vihari, who has unparalleled talent, has been harassed abysmally and was also insulted by the Andhra Cricket Association only to promote the son of their party leader, Kuntrapakam Prithviraj, who was the 17th player in the team, Lokesh pointed out. Cricketer Hanuma Vihari, who was fed up with the style of functioning of the Andhra Cricket Association opted out of the captaincy.

"You all know that soon after learning about this Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan and I responded immediately and stood by Hanuma Vihari," Minister Lokesh said. #WeStandWithHanuma too received a tremendous response in social media, the Minister said, and added that several cricket fans expressed solidarity with Hanuma Vihari.

"We will take all the necessary measures to encourage sportsmanship in all games and the TDP-led Alliance Government is ready to do justice to Hanuma Vihari as promised," Nara Lokesh observed.