Cash Lies & IPL!

Hundreds dead and thousands homeless due to a deadly storm in Bengal, around a million stranded at various airports in Europe due to volcanic eruption hampering the air travel courtesy mammoth smoke clouds, 76 families still grief struck after the Dantewada Maoist massacre, but who cares, at least the media hardly does when they have a super bonanza news bomb in the form of Tharoor, Modi and IPL sandwiched in one, to cover. Though this incident hardly affects the common man or the socioeconomic growth of our country, it certainly provides an impetus to the economic growth of the print and electronic media. And when you have the deadly threesome in the form of cash and glamour rich IPL, overtly flamboyant and loud mouthed Lalit Modi and the most technology versed and controversy prone politician of recent times, Shashi Tharoor involved in this saga, it certainly can’t get spicier than this, perfect mix for a wholesome entertainment.

Now the entities involved in this tussle which revolves around Kochi franchise’s bid are real heavy weights. On one hand we have the prolific author, columnist, journalist, human rights advocate, peacekeeper, former UN under secretary general and current minister of states for external affairs, the ever so charming and eloquent Mr Shashi Tharoor who has been alleged with charges of having a private relationship with one of the co owners of the Kochi franchisee and using his ministerial power to help the bidders to win the cash rich mega deal and in turn get benefited himself through that private friend’s channel. Expectedly so Mr Tharoor has denied all such charges and played the Kerala card, saying that he was just mentoring the bidders for the sake of his native state’s socioeconomic development, the confidence and finesse with which Mr Tharoor is defending himself and keeping across his point seems quite convincing but on the face of it, when so much of moolah is involved it is hard to believe that somebody can actually do just mentorship with no monetary gains in mind. In spite of Mr Tharoor’s stainless past record and a prolific career so far, in terms of academic and professional successes, if found guilty he should definitely be sacked and reprimanded. But if the tide turns other way round, the government will make life hell for the IPL commissioner (already started with the I-T raids), because the charges of bribing and rigging the auction process in favor of some other cities (read Ahmadabad) for whatever long term goals and reasons, if proven, might actually prove very detrimental for not only him but also for BCCI and other franchises. So the battle seems equally poised all in the favor of gossip and glitter starved media. But what is astounding is the interest media is showing in the minister’s personal life, I say let him have hundred’s of wives and thousand’s of private friends, is it really our business??? And how come all of a sudden a minister being involved in cricket in addition to his ministerial duties has become such an irking thing for the media and the people, how about Mr Sharad Pawar, Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, Mr Arun Jaitly, Mr Narendra Modi and dozens of other ministers who are heading the various state cricket associations??? Why are we not using the same yardstick, just because the person involved in the row is a technology savvy, fluent English speaking, one of the most educated and promising Indian politician, a dashing gentleman who has had a three decade long career in the International Public Services. Absolutely unfair, illogical and insane!

The other participant in this row is the world’s 19^th most powerful sports administrator who has supposedly given birth to the biggest sporting phenomenon of recent times in the form of IPL and has done absolutely nothing wrong up to this day, the man himself Mr Lalit Modi. Mr Modi has been commendable in his efforts and vision which has transpired into a globally successful sporting phenomena praised and hailed by all. The success which IPL has achieved in just 3 years in terms of viewer ship and revenue generation is truly commendable, it has already surpassed the age old English Premier League in these terms and only steps away from the numero uno American Basketball League. The IPL not only provides unmatched entertainment to its audience but it also pays the biggest pay cheques to the players involved and one should not ignore the opportunity it provides to the not so known local talent to rub shoulders with the cricketing greats and learn the nuances of international cricket which otherwise they would have never learned by just playing for there home cities and states, all there lives. Though a good majority of cricket followers(including me) still believe this is not the real cricket infact it is not all cricket, its all entertainment and money making exercise, because real cricket has always been and will always be Test Cricket, but this in itself is a different debate altogether. However, a considerable amount of credit for this mega successful venture should definitely go to Mr Modi, because but for his vibrant, shrewd and visionary efforts this wouldn’t have been possible, but mind it only a considerable credit because Mr Modi is not the only one who is handling and managing the entire circus, he is just a representative appointed by BCCI which is the actual parent body behind this. But it seems Mr Modi has forgotten this fact and has started considering himself a larger than life figure that can do anything, lock horns with anybody (home minister last year and external affairs minister this year) and is irreplaceable for eternity. The sooner Mr Modi realizes the fact that he is just a representative of a much larger setup, the better it will be for him and for the IPL.

As the saying goes being successful is not everything, handling success is far more important and you can never become greater than the cause which has made you great. Howsoever great a player Sir Sachin Tendulkar may be, he can never become greater than the game itself, howsoever great a musician Mr A R Rahman may be, he can never become greater than the music itself and howsoever great an actor Mr Amitabh Bachchan may be, he can never become greater than the art itself and the reason these wonderful people have maintained themselves at the pinnacle for so long is because they have handled success with lot of humility and respect and have never misused it, so how can Mr Modi break this law of nature and go against it? The sooner Mr Modi learns this, longer will be his relationship with success. And dishonesty, manipulation, arrogance and greed can never help one succeed for ever, be it Modi or be it Tharoor!

Post Script: With the mounting pressure from all corners Shashi Tharoor resigns, his private friend Sunanda Pushkar also surrenders her stake in the franchise and the noose tightens up on Lalit Modi, BCCI all set to axe him.

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