Spot-Fixing Economy -Soter

Article published in Herald -12 June 2013 Spot-Fixing Economy Soter D’Souza We are confronted with yet another national conscience stirrer after a series of well rehearsed and orchestrated mob tantrums that embarrassed governments and politicians and created more white elephants in the last one year or so. Nothing much has changed since then. The Lokayukta is a play-ground for only those who can afford to gamble in power games. Neither has accountability and transparency increased, nor is there a greater role for the public in policy-making for this country. More laws and institutions mean more scope for ‘fixing’. The nation is now subjected to diversion with another temporary mental fixation on IPL spot fixing. It is hard to figure out what is so great about this unearthing of spot-fixing and betting over a cricket match that warrants a 24x7 hold up and denial of the nation’s right to wider news and information. The controversy seems to have been reduced to TV media seeking to avenge the hurt inflicted on their ego by a defiant BCCI Chief Srinivasan who resists yielding to a media campaign for his resignation. It appears that truth and justice in this country will now be increasingly decided by media houses. The media will decide what is lawful and unlawful, who has to stay-on in office and who ought to quit. We as a nation should actually be more concerned about this scourge of ‘fixing’ that is consuming our news space and TV debates instead of resorting to political gossip about the silence of Manmohan Singh and the control of the PM by Sonia Gandhi. My heart goes out in sympathy to the disgraced young cricketers trapped in a market economy that actually makes young players vulnerable to spot-fixing. Compromised values seem to be the code to survival in a capitalistic economy that permits going to any length to maximize profits. It is only when someone in the chain becomes inconvenient or poses a threat to the established system, that we have a `scam.’ The actual motives behind the IPL spot-fixing controversy gets clearer as the pressure gets exerted on a stubborn Srinivasan of the BCCI to resign. This is possibly one of those cases, like in the CWG, 2G, coal block, wherein some interests who probably failed to secure a piece of their cake in the event, have now turned whistle blowers and approvers to spoil their competitor’s party. The people well know that any development work tenders and licenses or the grievance redressal machinery in this country can hardly be moved without resorting to ‘fixing’. The degree of fixing may differ depending on the quantum of profits the particular activity could generate. So, picking and choosing particular incidents and taking sadistic pleasure in hounding and disgracing those involved in spot-fixing or corruption will not make this nation any better. There is always someone waiting in the wings of the corruption stage to grab the place. Spot-fixing in a sport is no different from the allegations of compromise and cash-for-support levelled against the legislature, judiciary and executive. The ‘conflict of interest’ issue in the case of the BCCI Chief Srinivasan is no different from the mining firms sponsoring the DGPS survey to determine the boundaries of the wildlife sanctuaries in Goa. The alleged spot-fixing by Sreesanth bears resemblance to several circulars, laws, legal opinions that facilitate a cover-up for real estate and industry and denial of human rights in Goa’s villages. Is it in public interest that builders and architects sit on a government committee to prepare the Goa Land Zoning and Building Regulations? When vast track of mangroves get butchered and land-filled in Candolim village to make way for a project, it just cannot happen without ‘fixing’ someone or everyone concerned. Can we even in our wildest imagination rule out any ‘fixing’ in the case of the new casino vessel that has sailed into the river Mandovi and anchored itself in full view of the Captain of Ports who regulates traffic in the channel? The same holds true for the new Mopa airport being pushed through even before an environmental impact assessment has been carried out. We could endlessly go on citing projects which quite do not make sense and the intentions to favour some entity rather than public interest, are so obvious. The court was right to ask: “If the bowler was fixed then what about the batsman?” The aam aadmi will never know which are the interests working back-stage to control, destroy or secure a share in the profits of this sport? What makes the CAG pick out only the 2G and coal allotment for scrutiny whereas it chooses to ignore payments made to contractors by panchayat institutions without obtaining the required approval of the gram sabha for the utilization certificates? What are we to believe when a court questions the motives of the petitioner in a well researched PIL, while it admits other petitions of petty nature without questioning the motives? Some taped conversations of industry heads have revealed how they are tipped off about which side a court verdict will go, even before it is pronounced. The reality is that at every step in governance there is some amount of ‘fixing’. If not, political parties and politicians would not have money to throw during elections. Even considering that political party campaigns are sponsored by well-wishers, it can hardly be believed that in a greedy economy any investment in installing of governments will be made without expecting returns. While we resist electoral reforms and sell our votes during elections, approve of gambling in casinos and sex-tourism through our silence, what moral right do we as a nation have to single out spot-fixing in a cricket match for scrutiny? Spot-fixing in any game is but a bi-product of a capitalist-consumerist economy that only understands one goal ~ increasing consumers and generating profit at any cost. The young cricketers who have allegedly fallen prey to bookies are perhaps those trapped in such a life-style that necessitates living beyond one’s means. http://www.heraldgoa.in/newscategory/Opinions/14