RSS-affiliate seeks govt intervention to prevent Oppo from sponsoring Indian cricket team

New Delhi: The world's richest cricket body got richer on Tuesday, March 07, after Oppo - a china based mobile company – struck Rs 1079 crore for a five-year deal, outbidding Vivo mobiles’ Rs 768 crore bid to win title sponsorship rights of Indian cricket team. The deal, however, hasn't got down well with Swadeshi Jagran Manch, who has sought intervention from Sports Minister Vijay Goel to prevent the brand from sponsoring the Men in Blue.

“China is a big challenge for us in terms of the trade imbalance, the loss of employment because of Chinese imports is a big problem. On the other hand it (China) is a threat to national security. In such a situation it is unfortunate that a Chinese brand has won the sponsorship deal of the Indian cricket team. We have sought time from the sports minister to seek government intervention in the matter,” SJM co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan was quotes saying by The Indian Express on Wednesday. 

The sponsorship deal means that all Indian cricket teams (both men and women) will be obliged to wear the Oppo logo on their shirts and Oppo have the right to use the title “official sponsor of the Indian cricket team”.

SJM, an RSS affiliate, has started a signature campaign asking people to pledge not to use Chinese goods.

"We have already collected 3 crore signatures. When this is the public sentiment against Chinese companies, how can one such company sponsor the cricket team and cash in on its popularity,” RSS chief Mahajan added.

The reserve price set by BCCI for sponsorship bidders was Rs 538 crore.