Maharashtra : Bombay High Court said, ‘Parents can get children cricket gear, then they can also buy water bottles’
The Bombay High Court on Thursday said that if parents can provide cricket gear to their children, they can also buy a bottle of drinking water. A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Dutta and Justice MS Karnik was hearing a PIL expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of basic amenities like drinking water and ‘toilets’ in cricket grounds.
The bench also said that cricket is not even a game which originally belongs to India. The PIL, filed by a lawyer, Rahul Tiwari, claimed that many cricket grounds in the state do not have basic facilities like drinking water and ‘toilets’, which are played by budding and professional cricketers. It also includes a ground in South Mumbai, which is maintained by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).
The bench again observed that in many districts of Maharashtra even today there is no ‘supply’ of drinking water every day. Justice Dutta said, “Do you know that Aurangabad gets drinking water only once in a week. Why can’t you (cricketer) bring your own drinking water? You want to play cricket which is not even our game. This is basically not an Indian game. ,
“You (cricketer) are lucky that your parents can buy you chest guards, knee guards and everything you need for cricket. If your parents can get you all this stuff then they can buy you a bottle of drinking water too. Just think about the villagers who cannot buy drinking water.
The court said these are “luxury” items and the issue will come at the 100th position in the list of priority. “Have you (petitioner) seen the list of issues which we are grappling with? Illegal buildings, floods. First of all let us ensure that the villages of Maharashtra start getting water.” The bench again said that the petitioner should fulfill his obligations before asserting his fundamental rights.
Dutta said, “First take care of your fundamental obligations. Have you shown compassion towards living beings? Human beings are also included in the living beings. Have you thought about the people of Chiplun and Aurangabad? It will come at the bottom of the priority list of the government. What have you done to fulfill your fundamental obligations? We don’t want to waste time here. Please understand this.” After this he dismissed the petition.
