Tamil Nadu BJP state spokesperson A. N. S. Prasad has moved the Madras High Court against the Formula 4 (F4) car racing event scheduled for August 31 and September 1 in Chennai.
The petitioner wanted the case to be heard urgently on Tuesday, but it will be heard on August 28. The BJP leader stated in his petition that F4 car racing would lead to a road blockade, causing inconvenience to the general public.
He also charged that illegal road works are also being carried out, inconveniencing daily commuters and patients visiting Chennai General Hospital and Chennai Multispecialty Hospital. The petitioner said he seeks to halt the car racing event, citing its “illegal nature” and impact on the public.
Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin had said that the Formula 4-night street race would not hinder commuters. A few days ago, Udhayanidhi had told media persons that arrangements had been made for 8,000 people to watch the race.
The minister said that people can watch the session on Saturday morning for free. The DMK government has spent around Rs 30 crore on the event.
Eight teams will participate in the event, and the track will have 19 turns, multiple chicanes, and tricky elevations. Opposing the state government’s plans to host the event, the AIADMK blamed the ruling DMK government for “misgovernance”.
BJP Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai made severe accusations against the ruling DMK government regarding the upcoming F4 racing event. He claimed that the DMK government is pressuring industries to finance Udhayanidhi Stalin’s pet project, the F4 racing event.
He alleged that the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has been focused on a single task in recent months—pressuring industries, particularly in Chennai and the Western Kongu region, to contribute funds for the F4 event or face repercussions. Annamalai stated in a social media post that small business owners are coerced into making Udhayanidhi’s dreams a reality.
He further asserted that TNPCB officials have established “rate cards” for contributions, ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹1 crore, which are to be paid to a company called “Racing Promotions Private Limited.”
AIADMK general secretary and the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) said public funds should benefit people and not be used for entertainment under the guise of a sporting event. In a statement, EPS said, “There are so many problems that people are facing today, and in such a scenario, this DMK government is conducting a car race.”
He said, “The race would cut through the heart of the city for 3.5 km around Island Grounds near the Marina beach.” The opposition leader said the circuit was near hospitals and would affect transport immensely in the city.
However, the state government argued that it has an agreement with the private organisers of the event to share the revenue generated, similar to the process followed in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
(With inputs from IANS and DT Next)
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