Youth body dares RDC to cancel India-Australia cricket match

OST Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Oct 24:

Reminding central range revenue divisional commissioner (RDC) Arabinda Padhi of his directive to collectors of districts affected by Cyclone Phailin not to allow jatra performances in their areas, Youth organisation Utkala Bikasha Juba Parisada has dared the RDC to order cancellation of the one day cricket match between India and Australia at the Barabati stadium in Cuttack on Saturday.

Terming the one-day match ‘jatra of a different kind’, President of the Parishad Debiprasad Prusty said;  “When the RDC is so serious about not allowing the state level jatras, he should have shown the courage to cancel the cricket match at the Barabati stadium in Cuttack , which has also been affected seriously by the cyclone.”

“It is a shame that the state is hosting a cricket match so soon after it endured such a devastation. It just goes to prove that money can alter the system for a small group of people,” he said.

Quoting the oft-quoted line “ Nero was fiddling when Rome was burning”, Prusty said it was a ‘crime’ that some people are preparing for a vulgar display of wealth when thousands of people are struggling to get a morsel of rice, clean drinking water and some kerosene.

“It will create anger in the minds of the suffering people,” he warned, demanding the immediate cancellation of the match in deference to the sentiments of the people.