During the sixth over of the first ODI between India and Australia, two protesters with ‘No $1 Billion Adani Loan’ signs jumped the barricade and ran onto the Sydney Cricket Ground field in Australia on Friday.
Many match viewers noted this as a severe security lapse as it took the ground security staff a lot of time to stop the protesters and escort them away. The two protesters had almost reached the pitch but did not come in close proximity with any players. They are a part of the #STOPADANI Campaign. The ‘No $1 Billion Adani Loan’ sign was used after reports came out that the State Bank of India is set to offer Rs 5,000 crore loan (which comes up to $1 billion in Australian Dollars) to Adani’s Australian mining company for the controversy-hit Carmichael coal mine project in Queensland, Australia. The protesters are urging SBI not to give the loan.
Reportedly, the Stop Adani group issued a press release to the State Bank of India, urging them not to sanction a loan of $1 billion Australian dollars to Adani.
The #STOPADANI campaign is said to be one of Australia’s biggest people-powered movements in the country’s history. Australian activists initiated the movement to stop the Gautam Adani owned Adani Group from conducting mining activities in Australia’s biggest coal mine. Soon the public joined in to raise opposition against the Adani Group.
In 2010, the Adani Group had made the proposal for the Carmichael coal mining project. In 2016, the Queensland government gave the official consent for the project as they regarded this an economic opportunity, clearing the group to begin its mining activities at the coal mine. The Adani group had earlier announced that the project would create 1,500 job opportunities for the citizens of Queensland. However, Australian activists and the public feel that the project will have a disastrous effect on the environment and will affect climate change.
Meanwhile, this is for the first time since March when international cricket came to a halt due to Covid-19, cricket fans are allowed inside the stadium. The Sydney Cricket Ground is hosting the first two ODIs of the ongoing series with 50% crowd capacity.
