Chidambaram Retaliates to BCCI Comments

It was not likely that the BCCI President Shashank Manohar’s comments would have slipped by without a mention. And it did not as P. Chidambaram, the Home Minister for India, reacted strongly a day after the IPL organizers announced that IPL’s second season would not be held in India.

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Shashank Manohar had stated in the press conference a day earlier that it was “the attitude of the government” regarding the security to be provided during the IPL had forced the BCCI and IPL organizers to take the rather difficult decision. Chidambaram refuted saying that the government did not get the necessary response from all the states and the IPL decided to go ahead with its decision on its own.

With the government being repeatedly attacked by both, BCCI and the opposition, namely the BJP, Chidambaram perhaps felt it appropriate to call a press conference and wash his hands of any misdeeds. Stating that the BCCI has acted hastily without completing consultation with the Home Ministry, Chidambaram stated he would offer no further advice.

But it was clear the criticism had gone under the skin and at the heart of the matter, there was no way that he would announce a change of heart, knowing the elections looming large. But that he felt the need to hold a press conference and state his government's intentions and refute the allegations is proof enough that the public ire and political hullabaloo over losing the most 'prestigious' (from an international perspective) domestic cricket tournament have forced the government to come clean on the issue, not wanting to antagonize the public ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections.