Sab Ganda Hai, Par Dhanda Hai Yeh

Afternoon Voice

Desperate people hovering like a flock of bees near beautiful Cheerleaders (exposing their bellies, thighs and deep cleavages), Film Stars cheering for their teams in audience (publicity), Franchisers bidding in millions to become an owner of a team (profit), blame game of political parties (power), melodious songs during cricket (entertainment) and involvement of International players (global status); Indian Premier League is a complete package containing every aspects to gain popularity and make profit.

Some believe that with the IPL attitude of globalisation and liberalisation, we can take-on the world.  In unexpectedly short time, IPL has become transparent exploring its nature as a big business by considering the ties between Rich Businessman, Film stars, International Cricket players and of course Politicians. This skimming format of cricket won millions of dollars through advertisement, sponsorship and telecast. Without knowing its impact on Cricket format, IPL is hurting the sentiments of traditional class of cricket. It is the second costliest league of the world as some of the franchise team were sold for more than the value of English Premier League Football teams. This illusionary success in cricket world can be compared to a by product of emerging India, when TATA bought brands like Jaguar and Land Rover to reflect the self confidence of Indian business.

But a success in entertainment business without a controversy is like a mother giving birth to a child without pain. A controversy started with an involvement of Minister of State of External Affair, Mr. Shashi Tharoor in bidding of newly introduced Kochi team of the IPL series for year 2011. IPL Commissioner, Mr. Lalit Modi, a celebrity circuit businessman, who alleged the involvement of foreign investors and Mr. Tharoor stakes in Kochi team via his girlfriend Sunanda Pushkar. Mr. Modi had asked Kochi franchisers to give details of stakeholders in the bid they won. It also raises a question that why did Mr. Modi kept quiet for three years in disclosing the stakeholders of other franchised team. Some sources revealed that Mr. Modi (This time it’s Mr. Narendra Modi into act) pressurised Mr. Lalit Modi to introduce a franchise team from Ahmedabad by creating controversies over the Kochi franchisers, in which they turn out pretty successful. Mr. Narendra Modi holds 71% stakes along with the Adani group in Ahmedabad bid. I would rather say, once again Mr. Narendra Modi has showed his power to turn the table upside down to achieve success in any field. Both Modi’s shook their hands together to become the Modi No.1 of India.

All this conspiracy forced Mr. Tharoor to resign. But, this blame wind doesn’t stop. Now, this wind has hit Mr. Sharad Pawar who is ask to resign by BJP (political fame) and was considered as the chief responsible personality of these ongoing controversies. How can Mr. Pawar be responsible as he is not at all seen during IPL? Mr. Pawar is the president of BCCI (who runs Indian Cricket Board and IPL) and is also a president elected for International Cricket Council (ICC). Over Mr. Tharoor’s controversy, Mr. Pawar enraged Congress by supporting Mr. Lalit Modi and later expressing his views of no involvement in IPL working, which held Mr. Lalit Modi as a sole responsible for complete messy politics in cricket and finally he was sack by BCCI with five major allegation . This will prove Mr. Pawar as a person with no involvement in dirty Cricket politics through which without any obstruction he can easily capture the seat of president in ICC. Suddenly, IT department carried out its thorough investigations against financial records of IPL office and raid franchisers offices. This widens the political consequences just at the time when government has seek to secure its allies support for a possible vote in parliament over a high food prices! This IT raid has revealed nothing till yet, but surely has driven more publicity to this league in media.

Sometimes, while watching news channels, reading newspapers, I pity this game of cricket, which has wrongly fall into the hands of some unreasonable people, who has intention of only making profit rather than uprooting the talent of this country. What our media, newspaper, Mr. Modi, Mr. Pawar and all top officials of this foreign investing conspiracy in the name of game needs to understand that there are lots more to be observe in India rather than this business game.              How can we ignore the fact that the Film stars and VIP’s watch each four hour game of cricket in the stadium by sitting on a seat which cost approx. Rs. 40000-50000 in a country where more than half of the population earns less than Rs. 150 a day! IPL is proved metaphor for the Middle Class Indian who prospers on something excess. This format of game has targeted the developing stage of youth who now prefer to go for net practice rather than attending boring college lectures, watched IPL in stadium or on television with a can of cold drink (advertised during match), day dreaming to play for their region one day.

Dear Sir (Mr. Modi and Mr. Pawar) India is facing many issues such as regional politics, nationalism, communal rights, numerous criminal cases esp. Rapes, movement of terrorism throughout country, child labour, farmer suicides, illiteracy, health threat esp. Malnutrition, skipping tax payment, unemployment, irregular water supply, municipal bribery, job exploitation, load shedding and many more for which I will need a separate book to write. In the atmosphere of this poor infrastructure at this stage, you as well as yours investors are focussing on Important Person League (one more IPL). Have you forgotten the Indian Poorer League (once again IPL) and in spite of investing in infrastructure are investing in IPL (Indian Premier League)? This cricketing format has degrade our own outstanding players such as Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Rohit Sharma, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and many more who are being paid lesser than unknown Ishant Sharma (a KKR bowler, a sub-standard bowler). Is this sport? Is this a respect to ‘gentleman’s game’?

After so much of controversies, involvement of politicians, high officials resignation and foreign black money investment, does it left a doubt to consider it as a league of dirty business? But once Mr. Lalit Modi said, IPL has a long way to go. Next year, everybody will be again on the edge of stadium seats, in front of the television with popcorn, signboard of 4’s and 6’s, sweet cricketing message, cold drinks and team flags in their hands to watch day after day molested ‘gentlemen’s game’.

IPL T20 Cricket will return back in 2011 with its Gladiators not like Maximus but Sachin and Dhoni, not in Roman Coliseum but in Mumbai’s D Y Patil stadium, not with swords and shield but with bat and helmets, not in Ancient Rome But in Recent India.