With some skill our dream home minister has turned debate over cricket into political football, simultaneously realizing its dreaded politicization in turn. While politicization is such a strict no-no with the establishment, you would think that dear minister would calibrate himself more carefully. But this being election season, such restraint is not politically feasible. To twist a common dictum, there's no such thing as bad politicization.
'Enough about politicization already!' you say. Well, we're just getting warmed up. Rather warming you up...for the inevitable editorials that'll ensue. And 10 points for guessing who'll be the fall guy delegated with this crucial responsibility in your favorite communal newspaper.
While the scribes are obviously worked up at the coming 'Festival of democracy' (they see the taxpayer funded ad money ringing at their cash registers), the widespread despondency among aam aadmis can be witnessed in the comments section online, and in comments flying freely on streets. Some are even rudely chastising the media to take their 'festival' and shove it, since it hardly makes a difference as to which crook rules them. They have a point. Election is about spending their money to decide who should spend more of their money over the next five years(assuming the govt. lasts). IPL, on the contrary, is about instant gratification, today. Kal kisne dekha hain?
But lets concenrate on the serious. The most dubious reason cited by our dream home minister against the IPL is its commercial motive. Now, one doesn't recollect the constitution saying anywhere that all commercial activity should stall during elections. So whence comes the noblesse oblige? Politicians anywhere else in the world will stampede to claim any mega sports event precisely because it jumstarts real economic activity. The other untrue notion being bandied about is that only the organizers benefit from the event. Hmm...who gets the tax windfall out of the IPL's massive earnings? From the record ad revenue? Certainly not the aam aadmi.
Since we are talking about a good ol' Congress politician, if it is not about money, what else could it be about but politics, and power that follows. To understand the PC mindset (I mean politically correct) at work here we need to remind ourselves the feats achieved by jihadi terrorism. The jihadis have always jacked up the impunity of their attacks, starting with bicycles going right upto airplanes. Audacity of their hope next time could well mean despair for cricket fans and relatives in some Indian city. What went on in Pakistani capital during the recent attacks on cricketers could well prove to be a mock rehearsal. Considering the fabulous job done by his immediate predecessor, and himself, PC probably knows what we don't. Another deadly attack amidst the election could well drive the proverbial nail in UPAs political coffin. Goodbye to cabinet ministership after that.
What else do you make out of the IPL saga then? That the might of Indian govt. has been made to surrender to fear, again, is the real shame.
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2 comments:
The primary reason for taking out the IPL from India is security concerns and whatever the HM says, thats a fact which cannot be disputed. In terms of Security, India is as dangerous a place as Pakistan is. And with nothing being done to improve National security, and with same level of corruption and nepotism at highest (to the lowest) political and bureaucratic level, there is no point in hosting any mass events like the IPL or for that matter any popular games. Also I would vote for taking out the Commonwealth games too. If the UPA things that they got away with the IPL, wait for the commonwealth games to heat up. I think its due for 2010 and with the current national security scenario and major Mumbai like attacks bound to occur in India in the next couple of years, it will be prudent to take out that too (and also the 2011 World cup as well). The reality is that India is unsafe place currently and its going worsen further. With a bright (!) prospect of UPA coming to power once again and ruining the national security for 5 more years, I wouldn't want any games to be held in the country because at the end of the day its the common poor people who will get killed and politicians will walk away freely blaming one way or the other!
An SMS doing the rounds "It will be safe to conduct the IPL tournament during the elections as almost all the criminals in India will be busy contesting the elections"
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