The Karnataka Racehorse Owners Association and Karnataka Trainers Association managed to get the Bangalore Turf Club to concede their demand for the formation of a joint committee to look into labour related issues especially the PF. After much procrastination and discussion whether the legal opinion was against the formation of a joint committee or not and disruption of first week’s racing, the authorities saw the writing on the wall and yielded ground. The BTC confirmed the formation of the joint committee in a letter addressed to the KROA and KTA on
Tuesday. The only concession bargained was that the committee would have no legal sanction whatever that means! So the decks are now cleared for the Winter
Season to start from Friday, November 10.
Finally, it was much ado about nothing! The BTC could well have decided in like manner without disrupting racing activity. But as is the case with BTC, they sleep over issues and wake up only when things come to a boil. The BTC refused to form the joint committee fearing that they would get directly involved with the problem of syces who are not employed by them and that they would end up having to accept syces as their own employees and undertake the liabilities arising out of such a situation if the court were to rule in favour of the syces union with regard to the PF issue. And if BTC was so sure of its stand, then why this turnaround after causing so much disruption and loss of revenue
to everyone concerned? Then there would have been no need for any face-saving formula.
It may be recalled that the first week’s racing during the Summer Season was cancelled for a similar reason. The BTC ``solved’’ the issue by agreeing to form a joint committee to look into the problem and arrive at ways and means to solve the mess. However, it went back on its promise and refused to honour its commitment forcing the owners and trainers
associations to take a tough stand that unless BTC honored its commitment, there would be no racing activity.
The PF issue is pending adjudication. Everybody, including the powers-that-be are aware of the fact that the problem can only be tackled with the collective participation of all the limbs of racing. The BTC wanted to shirk its responsibility. Ultimately all activity takes place in its premises and the club becomes accountable for the acts of commission and
omission committed by its licensees. The problem, as and when it crops up, is not insurmountable because if the BTC were to set aside one per cent of its total turnover, it would wipe out the deficit. Also the owners and trainers too could contribute by deducting a certain percentage of stake money towards this purpose so that the problem does not assume
threatening proportions.
