‘Checking’ by candidate
The act by the BJP candidate for Hyderabad, Madhavi Latha Kompella, of checking the voter identity cards of some burqa-clad Muslim women voters, by asking them to lift their face veils, is provocative (Inside pages, May 14). If nominees notice any discrepancy in polling stations, they should always check with the presiding officer or even approach the State Election Commission. I wonder if Ms. Kompella’s actions result from the Prime Minister’s words; he seems to have set a precedent of conducting an informal roadshow after casting his vote. Members of his party seem to have gone to the next level. What kind of signal is Ms. Kompella sending out? And from a party that claims that winning a third term in office is a given!
N. Nagarajan,
Chennai
The other war that rages
Not a word is being said about Russia’s mounting aggression towards Ukraine. As a senior citizen, I am unable to understand why nations that matter in the world order are silent. Instead, the focus seems to be more on the Gaza-Israel war. Peace-loving citizens across the world are distressed. What are the present plans of the United Nations to quell the war?
Mani Nataraajan,
Chennai
IPL, restrictive practices
I write this letter as Past Chairman, CII Southern Region. This year, the sale of tickets for the IPL matches at Chepauk, Chennai, is through two assigned online portals. There is no box office sale of tickets. Also, all air-conditioned boxes are assigned to organisations such as the TNCA, MCC, BCCI, CSK. In countries such as the U.K., Australia and South Africa, the cricket boards (such as the ECB) authorise companies to sell hospitality packages. Regrettably, this is not being done by the IPL and TNCA in Chennai. This denies the ordinary citizen a chance to buy tickets for seats in the air-conditioned boxes. As an alternative, people have no choice but to buy tickets from agents who sell them at exorbitant prices.
On May 12, I was able to get an MCC member to buy two tickets for me from the MCC Club. I had to watch the IPL match from the MCC Terrace. As a senior citizen — I am 84 — I had to undergo much stress (the sharp sun, the deafening noise and access to the restroom) right through the match. I learnt that for tickets for the stands, the published price was ₹1,500. The black market rate is ₹10,000.
The IPL and TNCA must realise that the ticket sale policy and sale of air-conditioned box access to corporates is affecting the common man. It is aiding and abetting the sale of tickets in the black market. The designated portals on which the IPL tickets are sold show more than a lakh of people in queue at the appointed hour of sale. This indicates that syndicates are operating on these portals. Another pertinent question relates to the policy for ticket sales to senior citizens and people with disabilities. There needs to be transparency.
Ramesh Daga,
Chennai
