Letters to The Editor — June 7, 2025

Celebration to tragedy

I would like to share my grief with the family members of the persons who died and also the injured during the celebrations of RCB’s win in the Indian Premier League 2025. It is distressing to write such a letter. The roadshow was unwarranted. Basic crowd control measures were lacking. There was hardly a stretcher or an ambulance in sight and the number of policemen was insufficient. The fact that lakhs of people had converged around the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, unmindful of the risks involved, also highlights the degree of unemployment in the country. There was no need for such a hype over the victory of the RCB. It only shows how a great sport has lapsed into a commercial enterprise, so much so that whenever a boundary is hit or a wicket is taken, there are cheerleaders dancing. To add to it, players who receive a handsome amount also easily give in to advertisements. It is time regulatory measures are brought in, either by the BCCI or the government, to retain the quality of the sport. It would also not be an exaggeration to underscore the point that the Opposition political parties are trying to gain mileage out of this immense tragedy.

N.G.R. Prasad,

Chennai