Barabati floodlight failure sparks political blame game | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: A floodlight malfunction during the India-England ODI match at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday triggered a political blame game on Monday, with the BJD and Congress holding the govt responsible for the fiasco. BJP dismissed the charges and termed the opposition as ‘dramebaaz’.
Choudwar-Cuttack MLA (BJD) Souvic Biswal expressed concern about Odisha’s reputation being tarnished internationally. “This incident could have been avoided if the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) and the BJP govt made foolproof arrangements. They lacked the commitment towards hosting international matches,” Biswal said.
Barabati-Cuttack MLA (Congress) Sofia Firdous, who was at the stadium on Sunday, criticised the govt’s approach and emphasised the urgent need for infrastructural improvements at the stadium. “Despite the claims of reviews done by OCA and govt officials, the lighting issue revealed there was inadequate preparation. Chaos and mismanagement started from the day tickets were sold as thousands of fans were unable to buy tickets due to mismanagement,” Firdous said on Monday.
Cuttack Sadar’s BJP MLA Prakash Chandra Sethi defended the govt and dismissed opposition charges as ‘politically driven and unfounded’. Sethi said the govt is conducting a probe into the incident. “The sports department has issued a show-cause notice to OCA. There was a technical glitch with the floodlight’s generator. Electronic systems can experience technical difficulties. Opposition parties should stop their drama,” Sethi said.
BJP further said that Barabati Stadium, which is Odisha’s pride, received insufficient attention during the previous BJD govt’s 24-year tenure. “The stadium was neglected for two decades. Can BJD talk about the infrastructural developments that took place during their time? Now, the ‘double-engine’ govt will take the best care of Barabati,” Sethi added.
Choudwar-Cuttack MLA (BJD) Souvic Biswal expressed concern about Odisha’s reputation being tarnished internationally. “This incident could have been avoided if the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) and the BJP govt made foolproof arrangements. They lacked the commitment towards hosting international matches,” Biswal said.
Barabati-Cuttack MLA (Congress) Sofia Firdous, who was at the stadium on Sunday, criticised the govt’s approach and emphasised the urgent need for infrastructural improvements at the stadium. “Despite the claims of reviews done by OCA and govt officials, the lighting issue revealed there was inadequate preparation. Chaos and mismanagement started from the day tickets were sold as thousands of fans were unable to buy tickets due to mismanagement,” Firdous said on Monday.
Cuttack Sadar’s BJP MLA Prakash Chandra Sethi defended the govt and dismissed opposition charges as ‘politically driven and unfounded’. Sethi said the govt is conducting a probe into the incident. “The sports department has issued a show-cause notice to OCA. There was a technical glitch with the floodlight’s generator. Electronic systems can experience technical difficulties. Opposition parties should stop their drama,” Sethi said.
BJP further said that Barabati Stadium, which is Odisha’s pride, received insufficient attention during the previous BJD govt’s 24-year tenure. “The stadium was neglected for two decades. Can BJD talk about the infrastructural developments that took place during their time? Now, the ‘double-engine’ govt will take the best care of Barabati,” Sethi added.
