‘Illegal event’: RCB should bear blame

The judicial commission appointed by the Government of Karnataka to probe the stampede at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, has held  Royal Challengers Bengaluru, DNA Entertainment Networks and Karnataka State Cricket Association responsible for the tragedy. The commission headed by former high court judge Michael D’Cunha, was appointed on June 5 to go into the tragedy that led to death of 11 persons and left another 71 injured.

The commission’s findings point to the event being held illegally, reckless publicity leading to creation of frenzy among cricket enthusiasts, the venue being unsuitable and unsafe for such a large gathering and the police officials at the venue behaving as servants of RCB. The report is clear in pinpointing that the three entities erred in interpreting the intimation as permission to hold the event although the au thorities did not issue any formal order to this effect.

Moreover, they grossly miscalculated the response from the cricket fans who surged to the venue in thousands, far in excess of the sta dium’s capacity. It has also directed that the organisers must be made accountable for the lapses and hasty decision to hold the celebrations at a venue where major traffic arteries of the city converged thereby leading to chaos and a stampede resulting in loss of lives.

It also pins blame on reckless publicity on social media which drew crowds that the organisers had no where withal to regulate and manage. It has very rightly pointed out the deficient fa cilities at the current location and recommend ed that the state government should come up with infrastructure to hold such mega events at a suitable and risk-free location with access to easy mobility. 

It has even endorsed the suspension of top police officers for being lax in making it clear to the organisers that they would be committing an illegal act if they went ahead as per their an nouncement. While the Commission has very rightly high lighted the inadequacies of the arrangements, it has avoided commenting on the justification for such large events under official patronage.

Whether it is Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) or the Indian Premier League (IPL), it is pertinent to ask if the state should be seen patronising or collaborating with them. Being purely commercial ventures, they neither represent the state nor its people. Nor even the players engaged by them come from the state.

Should the authorities be swayed by the euphoria overtaking a mass of people who love the game? The state could of course be a facilitator for such events, but to be swept away with frenzy, is something not expected of a dispensation that has countless other respon sibilities to shoulder.

Looked from this angle, the official felicitation held on the steps of Vidhana Soudha and the one at  Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, could have been avoided. Cricket in its commercial form, represents an extravaganza the state must not be seen associating itself with.