A week after opposing NSCI for allowing the AIB roast, a 'non-sporting event' at Worli stadium, BJP sees no problems with lawyer association's event being held there with PM Modi as guest
Having attained power in the state and the Centre, the BJP seems to have forgotten the lessons against hypocrisy and special treatment it had sought to teach the Congress.
Around 4,000 people had attended the AIB event at the Worli ground on Dec 20
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In the wake of the controversy following the AIB Roast, the BJP was the first to approach the BMC last Saturday, asking it to take action against the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) for allowing the event to happen at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (SVP) stadium in Worli, on the grounds that the lease only permits sports events.
The club has hosted various functions, including award shows and TV events, at the stadium, until the AIB roast controversy erupted. File pic
In a complaint to the Municipal Commissioner, Mumbai BJP secretary Vivekanand Gupta had said, “From the recitals of the lease deeds as mentioned herein above it is clear that no activities other then sport should be allowed by NSCI.”
Fast forward just one week and the same party sees no problems with an event organised by a lawyers’ association, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, being held at the same venue today because the event is “culturally intellectual” (sic).
Even worse, speaking to mid-day yesterday, the party reiterated its stand against anything but sports events being held at the stadium.
Jaw-dropping
When mid-day approached Gupta, he said, “The stadium is meant only for sports events and no other events can be organised there. My complaint was regarding the same. A commercial event cannot be organised, where they sell tickets and earn money.”
In the same breath, he added, “However, the event on Saturday (which will be attended by Modi) is not a commercial event but a culturally intellectual one. There are exceptions to the rule, and the organisation that is holding the event has done service to the society and it is a 150-year-old organisation.”
The event being held at the stadium today is the closing ceremony of the 150 years celebrations of the Advocates’ Association of Western India. Apart from the PM, the Governor, law minister, chief minister and the chief justice of the Bombay High court will be in attendance. The PM is expected to reach the stadium around 5.30 pm, after wrapping up some events in Pune.
Special rules?
According to NSCI secretary Rakesh Malhotra, Saturday’s event is being held within legal boundaries.
“The PM’s event is scheduled for February 14, and everything is legal. We had sought permission from the BMC for the same and all the permissions are in place.” Rajiv Chavan, the president of Advocates’ Association of Western India (AAWI), said, “Our event is being held legally. Everything is being done with proper permissions.”
In a seeming bid to justify the event being held at the stadium, a member of the association said the President has also visited the NSCI earlier and the event will, apart from PM Modi, have judges, lawyers and other senior members from the legal industry in attendance.
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