There seems to be no resolution in sight for the crisis arising out of the government refusing the Bangalore Turf Club the license to conduct off-course betting operations since September 1. The stalemate continues as the special meeting of the former chairman and senior members of the club called on Monday to discuss the issue threadbare turned out to be a heated one, with diverse opinion dominating the proceedings.

The opinion was violently divided with a section of the members wanting the club to concede to the government`s demand, the other section wanting to bargain with the government while some others wanting the club to explore the option of taking the matter to the courts. The club mandarins are planning to call a special general body meeting of the club giving several options for members to consider.

Chairman of Bangalore Turf Club Harimohan Naidu said that he is hopeful that members could rally around to save the crisis confronting the club. ``We will give more time for the members to digest the fact that we indeed are in a critical position vis-à-vis the demand from the government. We will lobby with the members and hope to resolve the crisis,`` he added.

This means that winter season could well get derailed if there is no positive response forthcoming from the members in the Special General Body Meeting. It is a pity that the members have failed to read the writing on the wall and are instead procrastinating causing more annoyance to the racing enthusiasts and to the government as well.

The meeting saw heated exchanges among members which was unprecedented. A suggestion was made by a former chairman of the club that the club could offer 100 memberships to the government without voting rights! The worthy thought that voting is the ultimate power of being a member. The government has simply asked for 50 of its nominees to be given membership while at the same time permitting the club to increase the intake by another 100 and give it to those the club desired. The members failed to appreciate the fact that the club had to concede to the demand of the government without qualifying tags attached to it. Either the government demand is met in totality or the club should face up to the dangers of taking on the might of the government. The club has got several ghosts to counter and it can do with the additional burden.

There were several members who were keen that the club should take the matter to the court. The legal position was explained by a person of legal fraternity that this exercise was fraught with risks and that there was no guarantee that the relief would be forthcoming in quick time. Also, nobody could be sure which way the verdict will go. Some of the senior members cautioned against this approach and explained that the club depended heavily on the government for its survival. The club cannot afford to have a hostile government.

Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity. Monday`s exercise could be put in this category. There was no attempt to arrive at a meaningful solution. Much of the time was spent in the blame game. The members failed to appreciate the fact the sport faced grave danger and that the club could soon run out of finances if no off-course betting activity is resumed as soon as possible. The most productive months for the club in terms of augmenting its finances are September and October where the club benefits entirely by off-course betting activity as there is no payout for stakes. The club has already been hit hard by the loss of revenue due to the oppressive GST regime. There is visible anxiety on the faces of employees of the club about their future. The professionals and syces would be frustrated by the lack of resolution to the issue. The salaries for the month of October could be affected for lack of finances.

It is a pity that the club members were not even briefed about the precarious financial position of the club as nobody really seems to care about the sport. It is now clear that the Club has a dismal and a gloomy future and has to merely rest on its glorious past. An industry with a turnover of nearly 2000 crores is now on the verge of bankruptcy if the problem is not sorted out with the government in a hurry. The members appear to be insensitive to the needs of the industry. There is a total disconnect between the club and the racing industry. The miserable plight of daily wage employees has been totally lost sight of despite the Club having cited the employment opportunities provided to them in various legal fora including the Supreme Court as a justification of their continuing racing activity.

The club could have done without a confrontation with the government at a critical time when it needs help in getting the GST reduced through the good offices of the government machinery. The club could have very well bargained with the government to represent its case with the GST council in return for obliging the government with membership.

Several years ago, the club signed the lease of the land conceding its right over the land without convening a special general body. The club members accepted the same without any protest. But the same club members who had no qualms about surrendering the rights over the land are very protective when it comes to their individual rights. The land now belongs to the government and racing activities are continuing because the Special Leave Petition of the Government is admitted by the Supreme Court. The Karnataka Government has been helpful by not forcing the issue by moving the interlocutory petition. This fact has not been appreciated by the club members.

It is the faction fighting that gave a toe hold to the government. The present mess is the creation of the members who made wild allegations just to satisfy their egos unmindful of the damage caused to the institution and allowed the government to have a stranglehold on them.

There is no clarity about the special general body meeting. The meeting cannot be convened to discuss the options but to vote one way or the other. Already precious time has been lost. The pace at which things are moving, there cannot be an early end to the impasse. The Bangalore Winter Season could be impacted if the members don`t act cohesively and decisively to prioritize racing and by even giving up their bloated egos to ensure that the sport can have a better tomorrow. Great possibilities are born out of sacrifice and never the result of selfishness.