HOT TOPIC
‘Politicians should stop interfering in sports'
Photo: Vivek Bendre
UNCALLED FOR:Political parties should desist from using sports, especially cricket, to cater to their vested interests.
Cricket is the only game which is most eulogised, loved and encouraged by the innumerable enthusiasts all over the world. This is the game which has not been discriminated on the grounds of religion and chauvinism so far. But the spirit of the game is spoiled thanks to the loathsome involvement of political parties. One of the popular Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan's stand on the inclusion of Pakistani players in the IPL-3 has sparked widespread protests by Sena activists, who always try to flaunt their identity by converting every issue into unnecessary controversy. Security should be beefed up at the stadiums to ensure the game's free run.
Ippili Santhosh Kumar, MCA-III year
Sri Sivani College of Engg., Srikakulam
There is no justification for using sports for political benefits. Cricket is considered the king of games and everyone admires our country for the excellence in this game. Politics on the other hand, is a dirty game that has neither any law nor code of conduct. Cricket should be considered as an adventure but not as business. Cricket is such a game played on the behalf of our country. So keeping this fact in mind the agitators should support the game but not disrupt it.
S.Surya Sonal
Chaitanya Engineering College
Cricket is more than a religion in India for every person irrespective of age. Political parties are using cricket as a medium against rival parties. They are misusing their power with vested interest in order to secure more votes. Recently there was a controversy over the Indian Premier League-3 with Shiv Sena calling everybody not to include Pakistan cricketers into any team. Such happenings lower the standards of “our Indian cricket team”. Measures should be taken for these things not to repeat in future.
T.Siddhartha
Ramappa Engineering College, Warangal
Cricket, as everyone knows, has a special place in Indian sports and also a well commercialised one. Politicians who very well know the craze for this game are using this for their selfish benefit. No, it is not proper on part of the politicians to use this game to settle their own scores. Recently the IPL selection for the players led to many controversies generated by Shiv Sena.
The 26/11 incident has nothing to do with the players and the game. Whether Pakistanis or someone else, the players should be selected based on their skill. Sports are meant to maintain the global harmony among nations, but due to the present-day religion-based politics, it is losing the real game spirit. So, I feel that there should be an absolute “NO” for the politician's involvement in sports.
G.Apoorva
ECE, Vignan University, Guntur
As we all know cricket is the game which especially in our country receives great interest than any other sports. Even though it's not our national game, cricket is more than a religion in India. In my point of view it is not necessary for the political issues to interfere in sports. IPL involves league matches being played by many countries in the world. Ignoring this fact, the agitators drag political issues into the sports arena. It is not proper for the political parties to spoil the craze and demand for cricket game in our country by involving in unnecessary mud-slinging.
Alfred Sam Darwin, B.Tech II year
C.R.Engineering College, Tirupati
Groups threatening with disruption of the IPL cricket matches must realise that doing so will only result in venue-change, disappointing many cricket fans locally. As each IPL team constitutes of world class players picked up from different countries, any disruption or inconvenience caused would leave a mark on India as a whole. Hence, it will be wise if the venues susceptible to the protests are avoided.
On behalf of all the cricket fans I say “India is our country, cricket is our religion” and we won't yield to politicians who try to use our passion to level their scores.
Santhosh Jayanthi
GMRIT, Rajam
A game ought not to played with another game. But, it is hard to believe that politics and cricket are poised in a sort of face-off following the unfair political developments in the recent past. Political leaders must perceive the fact that a sport is much different from political game. Why must the players and cricketers in particular be accountable for the ridiculous regional political conflicts? Cricket is itself designed to bolster the rapprochement and create an ambience of amity among the nations. Who is Shiv Sena to impose barriers on the game just for their benefits? Cricket needs to be regarded in a global perspective. In the backdrop of threats by Shiv Sena, players must be provided with additional security.
In case of matches being disrupted, political parties must compensate the players and spectators. Parties could even create chaos and havoc by playing cricket on streets as the sign of their protest. When political JACs are being constituted, why not sports JACs be formed to tackle the anti-sport issues?
Dinesh Reddy Sarasani
Vignan Institute of Technology and Science, Nalgonda
In India political interference is dominant in many areas such as Business, Sports, Entertainment, Art etc., If a political party doesn't like a film, immediately violence is unleashed. It looks like common man's vote is not being translated into action. We vote so that our country is led to prosperity and law is maintained in an appropriate manner. But our politicians play a different role altogether once they are elected.
Sport has already been neglected to a large extent in India. Now, cricket, the game which is like a religion in our country, is also becoming politicised.
If politicians want to achieve goals there are many ways to do it, some of them being hunger strike, dialogue with appropriate authorities and so on.
The famous quote ‘You can enjoy your freedom till you don't disturb the freedom of others has to be taught to our politicians. They should behave in a mature way and strive to achieve their goals and not perform gimmicks for the sake of votes. Indian public is watching their actions.
B. Savitha
School of Management Studies
University of Hyderabad
Cricket is money game and politics are mind game. It is very unfortunate that we, Indians, are embroiled in conflicts between these two quite often. Politics and politicians should keep themselves away from cricket as it is not their duty to disturb the entertainment of the rich people in India.
In fact cricket is not necessary and useful to increase the standard of living of a poor Indian who cannot get a square meal per day. How would cricket matter to them?
Politics should not interfere with cricket, but it is also a fact that India being ranked Number One in cricket does in no way mean that India is a developed country.
D. Harshavardhan
MA. Sociology, University of Hyderabad
Nowadays politicians play politics over every issue. Now cricket has also joined their list. Rather than disrupting games, leaders should concentrate on the development of the country. We are fortunate to rank high in cricket. But the atmosphere of threats and disruptions from the political parties will only demoralise the players and reduce the interest of the viewers. IPL matches involve huge expenditure. If threats and controversies happen, it will be huge loss to IPL sponsors and team holders who invested crores of rupees in these.
Sagar Kasula
MBA I, Nishita PG College, Nizamabad
In India, watching and playing cricket is passion. The game was also effectual in promoting unity and integrity among people. It had developed healthy relations among Indian citizens and foreigners.
A few political parties which were humbled in the recent elections are making inflammatory statements and issuing threats, with the sole aim of tinkering with people's emotions so as to come back to power.
Bal Thackeray had earlier criticised Sachin Tendulkar for his statement ‘I am Indian first and Maharashtrian next'. Shiv Sena also attacked Shah Rukh Khan and Australian cricketers verbally, and in doing so, affected India's pride globally.
Due to agitations for division of state, cricket match which had to be held in Vizag earlier was shifted to Nagpur putting the State's reliability to question. And now, the IPL-3 opening ceremony which is to be held Hyderabad has been shifted to Mumbai due to Telangana agitations.
Political parties should shun their cheap tricks to gain power. The government should take steps to control this kind of disruptions in order to keep the nation's pride, unity and integrity aloft.
Rajesh Komma
Joginapally BR Engineering College, Hyderabad
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