The Opposition Congress in Rajasthan is out to cash in politically on the BJP government’s decision to organise IPL matches in Jaipur when the state is facing severe drought conditions.
“IPL won’t quench people’s thirst,” said former MLA Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, who contested from Civil Lines in Jaipur. Accusing the BJP government of being insensitive to people’s problems, he said, “The BJP government should show similar enthusiasm and commitment to resolve the water crisis like it showed in bringing IPL matches and clear hurdles in organising matches in less than 12 hours.”
Earlier, Leader of the Opposition Rameshwar Dudi had made the Congress’ stand clear when he said that IPL matches should not be held in Rajasthan as the drought situation in the state was not different from that in Maharashtra. “Cricket matches can take place if the situation is favourable. But the drought and water crisis in the state are the same as that in Maharashtra. Therefore, IPL matches should not be held in Rajasthan,” he said.
The BJP has to take the blame for putting itself in a spot and giving the Opposition an issue. The keen interest and swift action to bring the IPL matches has certainly not gone down well with the people when the state is reeling under scorching heat and an acute water shortage. The Opposition has criticised the government that it didn’t take them too long to decide on hosting IPL matches but payments to farmers for their kharif crop damage due to bad monsoon began after six months.
In fact, such was the hurry that the government didn’t even think about the political implications of engaging the Rajasthan Cricket Association headed by Lalit Modi.
Mr Dudi highlighted this when he said that the government did not do its homework before taking the decision of allowing IPL matches in the state because it lacks its own resources and experts. According to him, it was irresponsible of the sports minister to say that the government would take the help of RCA. “With no expertise of organising cricket matches, the government would be dependent on the RCA, which is mired in controversy and controlled by Lalit Modi, who is a fugitive. It is unconstitutional for the state government to have any link with an organisation controlled by him,” he said.
