"India is safe for international sports event, says Chidambaram"

A divergent view by Amit Jugran

Mr. Chidambaram chose the World Badminton Championship in Hyderabad to defy the abject situation of India’s image being tarnished, restricting the whole debate to a mere sporting affairs between nations. Infact, the growing sentiments of certain chosen sporting nations against the security environment in India is likely to emerge as a far reaching political and business risk for India.

In the past two years as much we heard about India’s glory and condemnation in the field of sports, alike or further news is forced on us on concerns posed by overseas teams and sports personalities on safety issues. Cricketers and other sporting personalities and federations overseas unequivocally posing their concerns and walking out of sporting events has become a regular feature. In the process, India is in a great danger of being labeled with the likes of our next door neighbors. But the question is, is all this fair on part of countries who have been a regular in making their opinion known brusquely and hurting the image of India?

Perhaps no! At the best, it all can be summed up as ‘double speak’ on part of these nations. On one side these sportspeople and respective boards/federations are citing security threat for not able to make it to high-profile events, on the other hand their respective countries are banking high on India for huge business opportunities that our country represent. Does the same security threat does not apply to high profile business leaders when they come to India to explore or set up business operations or lobby hard for opening up of the industries so that they benefit.

Countries like Pakistan and Zimbabwe are truly in a state of turmoil with state economies rattling for a breather for a long time. Such countries have become the breeding ground for extremists and are increasingly becoming a threat to International economic environment. There is, as a matter of fact, grave danger to the lives of millions of residents. Anyone with a tad moderate background, especially a foreign person, becomes an easy fodder for these extremists to unconditionally demand for their illegitimacies. So pulling out of sporting tours from such countries is a justifiable and legitimate demand. Neither the businesses are keen to make their presence felt in these countries.

However, it’s unfortunate, and unfair to say the least, when international sports community put India in the same league. Till date, I have not come across any genuine extremist threat to any sportsperson. Or in any case if any are planned as well, our security forces have been able to diffuse the situation well in advance.

It is time now that the Indian govt. takes the matter in its hand and opens up a diplomatic channel to mitigate the impending crisis on offer. The govt. needs to talk tough with countries which are letting their sports personalities to have a free wheelie in criticizing and making sneaky comments on our capability to handle terrorist.

We, the country, should take an offence to such walkouts. The govt. needs to wake up to contain this imminent risk for the good of countrymen and economy.