Bengaluru: With the Winter Season, scheduled to start on November 3, a little over a week away, time is running out for the Bangalore Turf Club and its trainers and horses. Caught between the members of BTC and the government over the latter's demand for 50 memberships which the members are unwilling to concede, BTC has not yet been issued a betting license.
Faced with the prospect of missing the entire winter season which could have a knock-on effect on the racing calendar in other cities, the representatives of the Karnataka Racehorse Owners Association, the Karnataka Trainers Association and some of the members themselves believe that it may be time to concede to the government's demand for the memberships. However, that is a matter that can only be decided at the membership vote on November 15.
The atmosphere at BTC on Tuesday morning is markedly restive. With little headway made with the impasse between the government and the members, the cry for compromise has only grown louder.
‘We could file a writ petition’
Failing everything else, legal recourse could be the next step: "We can file a writ petition asking the government to call tenders for the racing license instead. If the club members don't want to compromise, this is our other option," veteran trainer S. Padmanabhan, told Deccan Chronicle.
"They can't shut down racing arbitrarily based on memberships. We have horses here. What nobody seems to realise is that they will be affected and that is a criminal offence," said trainer Irfan Ghatala.
With the BTC coffers emptying rapidly, it's only a matter of time before the horses and the staff employed at the race course feel the impact of neglect, with the latter's livelihood at stake. "We have 2000 employees and can't afford to wait another three months for a license. That's waiting for tragedy to happen."
The financial burden will fall squarely on the owners, who are already panicking. Moving to other centres is an option, albeit a limited one: "You can only move to another centre before the season begins, which means it's too late now," said Ghatala.
Moreover, other centres are not open to the idea, said another trainer, on condition of anonymity. "We were told that there is no room for our horses elsewhere. So we have nowhere to go."
Labour unrest is another consequence - the 800-odd tote collectors at BTC have already expressed their displeasure by holding a protest on October 11. "We're afraid of a backlash from the syces (grooms)," added a trainer. "There have been instances when we were locked out of the stables."
In 2012, a clash between the syces and the committee members resulted in a violent agitation on the race course. Police were called to manage the agitators, who were armed with machetes and chains. A couple of committee members were badly injured during the incident. "We don't want something like that happening again - the BTC cannot afford to pay them beyond November," said Lokanath Gowda, Vice President, KTA.
The impasse has led to differences of opinion between the members themselves and the membership vote, which will be held on November 15, needs to be passed by a three-fourths majority.
A General Body Meeting was held in September to make amendments to the laws, enabling the induction of new members. The government has granted permission for the amendment of the laws and the next meeting, scheduled for November 15, will decide the fate of the BTC license.
"On one hand, the Chief Minister needs to realise that this shouldn't be his priority," said Zeyn Mirza, a BTC member. "I am totally opposed to the action that the government has taken, withholding a license under duress. At the same time, as a member of the club who is actively involved with racing in every aspect, I would be willing to compromise. I don't accept the way in which things are being done but with all the bureaucracy and legalities we are surrounded by, we seem to have lost sight of the practical aspects."
The situation is likely to remain calm until the end of November, added Gowda. "A delay of three weeks won't do too much harm but after that, the situation will deteriorate very rapidly. No owner can afford to pay that kind of money indefinitely and it's only a matter of time before horses begin to collapse."
The onus now rests entirely on the owners, who pay BTC, which in turn pays trainers. "The club members in themselves have nothing to lose unless they own horses," said a source, on condition of anonymity. "We're the ones who have to bear the brunt."
