The crucial hearing of BTC`s petition seeking a writ of mandamus will take place on Thursday in Court Hall No 6. Everything hinges on the response that BTC is going to come with for the formation of an interim committee by the government to manage the affairs of the club till the conclusion of the winter season. The government has refused to give license to BTC since September 1 stating they are awaiting the report from the CID on serious charges of malpractices. The BTC, in turn, had filed a writ petition.

The Bangalore Turf Club and its members have shown distinct lack of commitment to the sport and have refused to take measures to ensure that racing which is the reason for their existence is restored without any delay. A lot of people including the professionals and wage earners have been put to despair without any hope of an early resolution. Several of them are in the twilight of their career and cannot be expected to switch to a different profession and hence face the threat of dark days. The BTC has been insensitive to the plight inflicted on scores of people by its stand. The BTC Managing Committee is firm in opposing the formation of an interim committee as suggested by the Court for which the government has given consent. BTC landed in this situation not because of external forces but because of internal sabotage.

Unfortunately, without the BTC accepting the compromise formula, there is no possibility of a solution. The stakeholders who had been known to go on wildcat strikes at the throw of a hat have been largely ignorant of what is in store for them. When the BTC counsel opposed the formation of the interim committee by the government, the counsel for the other petitioners namely the trainers and employees maintained a deafening silence much to the surprise of everyone. One was not sure whether the trainers and employees` society was toeing BTC`s line or there was a conspiracy of silence. It is also surprising as to how the other stakeholders have not filed a memo in the court agreeing to the contents of the submission of the government. Any other stand by the stakeholders will not only jeopardize racing but their own survival as well. One hopes that they get proactive and file a memo about their desire for the resumption of racing through the formation of an interim committee as a temporary measure before the government finds it fit to hand back the license to the club.

A WhatsApp message has been circulating fast and thick that the BTC must file a memo clearly stating that since it is of paramount importance that racing be resumed immediately at Bangalore in the interest of the racing fraternity at Bangalore and employees of the club, the club has no objection to a supervisory committee being appointed by the government to oversee all racing activities up to March 2018 with a rider that the democratically elected Managing Committee constituted as on date continue to hold office and offer all cooperation and assistance to the supervisory committee. An apt suggestion indeed.

The need of the hour is for all efforts to be made to ensure that racing does not die a sudden death. If the BTC presses for the matter to be heard, one is not sure what course it will take. Since the judge had already expressed that it was difficult to give an interim relief, there could be long spell of no racing in Bangalore which will be disastrous. The racehorse owners will not be able to sustain without racing and there won`t be any economic activity on several fronts. The stud farms also face a severe threat to their existence. Without Bangalore summer racing, all the clubs in the country would be put to severe financial strain. This is something BTC Committee and its members are refusing to understand. For them, their ego is paramount.

The stakeholders need to be more pro-active to hammer out a solution taking the BTC along with them. Much time has already been lost in this war of attrition which has hurt the fraternity more than the BTC members. They seem to have no interest in the sport, no concern for the suffering of those whose livelihood is dependent on the sport. To add to this, the majority of members don`t have any investment to feel the pain.

Some of the members argue that the interim committee may not have the knowledge to run racing. Men who have administrative experience can manage better than the ones who have been at the helm all these years at BTC. The officials are there to run the show under the guidance of experienced committee as the one announced by the government.

The Turf Authorities of India have been too quiet for comfort. There is a need for the toothless body at least do the job of advising BTC to act with wisdom in the interest of the survival of the sport. It is most important that the Turf Authorities of India implead themselves in the matter for a speedy resolution of the dispute and also accord permission for any interim arrangement as ordained by the court, which in any event, is legally binding. The stakeholders also should seek from the court a specific direction in this regard if the compromise is worked out or otherwise the Bangalore Turf Club would cite technical deficiency to jettison the revival of racing. To quote a famous saying: ``In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot.