Boria Majumdar
We have now seen arrests in the Bengaluru stampede issue and among those arrested are the head of marketing for Diageo and senior people at DNA Networks. Apparently, a manhunt is on for RCB CEO Rajesh Menon as well. Add in the removal of multiple police officers and the political advisor to the Chief Minister as well. The search is also on for some KSCA officials. The new official line is that everything was done by RCB without proper permission. It just happened because some rogue cricket officials and marketing guys wanted it to happen, without law enforcement knowing anything of what was going on. This is what the political class would like us to believe.
For the record, the CM and Deputy CM were both part of the celebrations. The question is, did they knowingly or unknowingly attend the celebrations? Did they not know that they were actually going to a function that did not have the requisite nod from their very own police department? Did they have absolutely no idea that what was being organised was actually unlawful?
Are we to believe that a cricket franchise and its marketing arm can actually drive a bus through the heart of Bengaluru, with thousands of people on both sides of the road, without necessary permission? Are we also to believe that the police who were there did not know that the bus did not have the clearance to pass through?
All of this seems a little surreal to be honest. A massive, unacceptable cover-up to mask administrative inefficiency and shift blame.
There is a section that has even demanded the arrest of Virat Kohli. The question is: who is Kohli? He is just a cricketer. That’s his identity. He is a cricketer who has a massive fan following. But in terms of hosting a road show, Kohli has absolutely no power in front of politicians or the police. If they don’t give permission, there is no parade. And if they deem that they are underprepared, it is only natural that they’d turn down the franchise’s request.
Someone somewhere did allow the show to go on. Despite reservations from the police, they gave it the green signal. Now that things have gone horribly wrong, the blame game has taken centre stage. As I said, imagine a bus going through the middle of the city with the home team from that state – who were actually met by the Deputy CM at the airport – without permission. Add to it thousands waiting on the streets to catch a glimpse of the bus and the players. In all this, the police did not say a word despite there being no official clearance.
If anyone buys this narrative, good luck to him or her.
In this massive cover-up, the victims’ families will soon take a back seat. There will be redemption for the political class, even if it results in a permanent souring of the relationship between RCB and the government. Clearly, we haven’t seen the end of this issue. Only, the human aspect of it, at the core of the tragedy, will soon be lost at the altar of political gain.