Abhishek launches 'Diamond Harbour Football Club'

KOLKATA: Abhishek Banerjee Trinamool Congress national general secretary and party's MP from Daimond Harbour, inaugurated Diamond Harbour Football Club at a function on Friday.

The club will take part in the first division football league in Kolkata. "I assure you that someday this club will take part in Indian Soccer League," he said.

He said the IFA had given certain parameters which the club has followed to get its clearance in the first division.

Banerjee said there are talents in rural Bengal and "it will be wrong if these talents are not given proper support."

He said in 2019 he had assured the people of Diamond Harbour that a football club will be set up soon. Banerjee said other states have taken inspiration from the MP Cup in Diamond Harbour and introduced similar football tournaments there.

He urged people of the area irrespective of political affiliations to come and support the initiative. "Contacts with people cannot be built through politics only. Any one having political affiliations or who are not associated with any political party can come and get associated with the club."

Banerjee quoted the famous saying of Swami Vivekananda "You will be nearer to heaven through football than through the study of Gita." He also referred to the famous song sung by Manna Dey in Bengali feature film Dhanyi Meye "Sab Khelar Sera Banglir tumi football." Derek O' Brien, Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP, Kunal Ghosh, party's state secretary, Ashok Deb, MLA, Prasun Banerjee, party's MP and ace soccer player, who represented India, were present in the function.

Manas Bhattacharya, well known footballer of 1980s is the general secretary of the club while Gouranga Bandyopadhyay is the president. Krishnendu Roy has been appointed as the coach.