Congress party, postponing a Coldplay gig is like kissing south Bombay goodbye

Tears stream down our face, because the Coldplay gig may not take place.

Yeah. The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are literally playing with fire. On November 3, they demanded the Global Citizen Festival - that features the British rock band Coldplay - be postponed, citing that it violates the election code of conduct for the upcoming municipal council polls.

Not making this up: Congress wants @Coldplay Mumbai concert scrapped because BJP 'using it to woo voters & violating Municipal poll code'.

— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) November 4, 2016

Seriously? This is the gig that people were trying to sell their organs to buy a ticket for. This is Coldplay, the band - that has created several internationally acclaimed albums, but for some reason - Indians don’t know any more than five songs of. Are these two parties willing to hurt the sentiments of the citizens of this volatile nation for some stupid civic polls?

The Congress isn’t exactly popular to begin with. They have Rahul Gandhi as their supreme leader. They also have a lot of baggage (dynastic rule, corruption, emergency etc). Is it a wise move for the party to try and pull something like this off?

And the NCP? That’s a party that lives in a permanent identity crisis (though it has really don’t nothing to have created an identity on its own). They are criticising Maharashtra’s BJP-led government for providing concessions for the festival, adding that they had planned this concert to woo voters for next year’s BMC polls.

The Congress has submitted a letter to the State Election Commission (SEC), which basically states that the BJP is using the concert for political gains. According to them, since the state government is the strategic partner for the show, it is likely to influence voters.

“The Maharasthra government has invested in the event [organised by Global Citizen India]. The MMRDA headed by the chief minister Fadnavis has given a concession of 75 per cent in fare to the organisers for the ground at BKC. The government has also given tax exemption to the show. The tax exemption was given when the code of conduct was in force,” said Sanjay Nirupam, the Mumbai chief of Congress.

That’s pretty much what every political party does? Give away nice promises and occasionally actual stuff to trick voters into electing them year after year. What exactly are the NCP and the Congress’ high horses smoking?

Nirupam has demanded that the show be postponed until the completion of the election for the municipal council and legislative councils.

“Or else, no political leader should be allowed to deliver speech from the stage where the performance of the band is being held,” he said. Nirupam probably understands that cancelling or even threatening to cancel a Coldplay concert may just provide Congress with a one-way-ticket to never-getting-elected-in-Maharashtra.

The social media has of course, lost it. A Coldplay concert, after all, is snobby South Bombay people’s only hope to distract themselves from real issues like the city’s ineffective municipal council and poverty. How otherwise, does one expect rich people to prove that they too have a heart, if not by crying to Chris Martin singing “Fix You” (something that the BMC has not been able to say to the roads in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs)?

Unwise to demand a ban on @coldplay. Musical concerts don't determine elections. @INCIndia has always favoured a culturally vibrant Mumbai

— Milind Deora (@milinddeora) November 4, 2016

Coldplay concert is an election issue in Mumbai.Delhi, Honey Singh or Baadshah, choose your next election issue...

— Gappistan Radio (@GappistanRadio) November 4, 2016

Dear Mumbai, Congress wants to cancel a Coldplay concert due to a municipal election.You know who not to vote for! #Coldplay #Mumbai

— Suhas A R (@Suhas2009) November 4, 2016

Congress wants EC to postpone or cancel #Coldplay Mumbai concert! Will you ever vote for #Congress if this happens ?

— Vishal Mehra (@capturethecatch) November 4, 2016

Your friendly Congress party wants Coldplay gig in Mumbai cancelled because of "poll code". What will you do? Nothing. Least of all vote.

— Shubhashish (@shubHASHISH) November 4, 2016

Beware stupid political parties: Don’t fu*k with Coldplay fans. They will turn Yellow and they will attack you at the Speed of Sound and they will send you off to Para-Para-Paradise.  

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