India Fights COVID-19: Rampant Rajasthan Politics & IPL To Be Held In UAE!
While the surging new COVID-19 cases in India in the last twenty-four
hours nearly breached the fifty thousand mark and deaths in the period prior to
it breached the 1000 mark, at least 100 legislators including the Chief Minister
lounged in Raj Bhavan, Jaipur today for hours shouting slogans as an unprecedented
chapter of the Rajasthan political thriller unfolded. Many among the MLAs assembled
there did not even wear masks, and there was no social distancing followed in
the luxury buses that carried them. Whatever earthy purpose they went there to
protest for is the least of our concern. Our primary concern being why the
rules are different for the politicians/political leaders, not only in
Rajasthan, but everywhere in the country. It is painful as well as scary to
behold these power-hungry people eternally going around with their visits, ‘inspections’,
press briefs, even rallies/protest marches and so on, with particular reference
to the so-called ‘opposition’ in various states ruled by political parties
other than the one at the Centre. It is only natural that whenever a very important
leader or a group of politicians moves out a huge entourage consisting of officials/party
workers/supporters follows them, apart from the inevitable media persons and
crews. How such crowds, in total violation of all sacred norms, are allowed to
move around and even interact with innocent subjects?
Well, in this ‘largest’ democracy politics has always been the essence of
everything, COVID or no COVID, crisis or no crisis. As we always say ‘the show
must go on’ here in India ‘politics must go on’ whatever be the actual
situation in the country. Politics is for the ultimate aim of capturing power,
and everything is fair in love, war and power, especially in the largest
democracy. Now, why is the Rajasthan crisis an edge-of-the-seat suspense
thriller? Because, even after so many twists & turns, High Court &
Supreme Court interventions and sayings/verbal attacks/talks/discussions/negotiations
no party is sure of capturing or retaining the ultimate power in the state.
Same applies to the game of cricket too—the craze of the nation and the
den of big money, glamour and glitz. Enough has already been sacrificed: no
cricket in the country for over four months due to the virus. Therefore, how
could it be that the 13th version of the money-spinning extravaganza,
Indian Premiere League, be abandoned! The richest cricket board of the world, Board
of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), had been waiting for the International
Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision on holding the World Cup T20 during October-November
this year in Australia. The moment the ICC took the expected decision to
postpone the tournament the BCCI got its coveted window to hold the IPL during
this time. The schedule was fixed up: the tournament to start from 19th
September with the final to be played on 8th November; one week
earlier than expected, just to ensure India travel to Australia on time for the
Series starting from December.
The cricket mandarins knew that if the tournament was to be held in India
it would have to be staged without the revelers. The stakeholders/sponsors/broadcasters
would never agree to this: just imagine unfolding of this glamour show without
the shrieking crowds! And they hit upon the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where
they could rent three stadiums in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, and very
cleverly they put the onus on the UAE government to allow or not allow crowds. While
India is the third worst-hit nation, the UAE is also not free from the clutch
of the COVID-19 pandemic having nearly 60000 infected so far—the important
aspect perhaps being the fact that more than 50000 have already recovered and
the fatality rate is less than 1% at 343 so far. However, this does not at all
ensure that the war against the virus is won and done with, considering the
unpredictability of the mysterious virus.
The BCCI is waiting for the approval from the Government of India which
is expected early next week. Once the approval comes the Governing Council will
be convened and all the nitty-gritty of the extravaganza will be worked out. So
then, politics and cricket must go on. In India, that is to say.
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