The floodlight malfunction during the India vs England match at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, which disrupted the play for about 30 minutes, has embarrassed Odisha on a national level. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has demanded the resignation of the state’s Sports Minister in light of this incident.
In a press release, party spokesperson and media coordinator Dr. Lenin Mohanty expressed that after a lapse of about six years, Odisha had the opportunity to host an ODI cricket match, which generated significant enthusiasm among local sports fans. The Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) and the state government were primarily responsible for organizing this event successfully.
Despite holding frequent review meetings at the administrative level involving state Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj and even Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the match’s preparations were marred by the floodlight malfunction. Questions have been raised about why an engineer from the electricity department was not present on-site and whether the power supply for the floodlights and generators was properly approved.
As a result of this incident, Odisha has drawn criticism from sports enthusiasts worldwide. Renowned sports journalist Mr Boria Majumdar remarked that the issue of floodlight disruptions in Pakistan is now echoed by this incident in Cuttack.
It is deemed inappropriate that Sports Minister Suraj Suryabanshi has issued a show-cause notice to the OCA, as the state government should also bear substantial responsibility given their extensive involvement in the event’s organization through review meetings.
The BJD pointed out that there was a stampede-like situation during a recent Hockey League final match in Rourkela due to organizational irregularities. Additionally, a previous incident involving the Sports Minister’s vehicle being driven onto the track at Kalinga Stadium has also upset sports lovers. With zero development in sports over the last eight months, the state government seems to be trying to salvage its image by claiming involvement in sports events.
Therefore, Dr. Lenin Mohanty, on behalf of the BJD, called for the state government to take responsibility for the floodlight failure during the cricket match and for Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj to resign on moral grounds.
