One India
Bangalore, Apr 7: The organizers and would-be participants had it coming the moment a massive beehive was disturbed while the podium for the centenary speeches was being set up on the flight of steps of the Soudha.
Fear loomed large in front of Vidhana Soudha on Thursday evening. It was fear of an airborne attack - for a change, not from some Laskhar-e-Toiba foot-soldiers but some equally 'disturbed' honeybees.
Such was the gravity of the perceived threat that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, scheduled to participate in the birth centenary celebrations of former deputy prime minister Babu Jagjivan Ram, had to give it the skip.
But with the winged assailants soon descending on them in swarms, it was chaos all along.
The function was slated to begin at 4:30 pm and just around the same time the 'organized' attack too began. The knot of people gathered around the venue soon began running for cover.
Kumaraswamy arrived in his official car on time, alright, but wisely chose to stay put in the car. He waited for some time but the stingers seemed to mean business and were in no mood to call off their offensive.
After waiting for a while, the CM quietly left the war zone.
Meanwhile, the organizers brought out ammunition in the form of repellent sprays. Scores of cans were emptied only to drive the bees even more 'mad'. Finally, it was decided to postpone the event by an hour.
But, at 5:30 pm, the bees had not dispersed. And when the organizers decided to go ahead nevertheless, only the "brave ones" decided to stay back. Volunteers backstage took care to swathe their heads in towels. One volunteer, apparently not wanting to take chances, sported a helmet.
Hurry, hurry...
In the absence of the CM, his deputy B S Yediyurappa hurriedly read through a prepared speech. And he made all the right noises (ignoring the hum in the background!): that the government is committed to the welfare of SC/STs, that it will provide Rs 3 crore for the construction of a Jagjivan Ram centenary memorial in the City, and so on and so forth.
No wonder the centenary awards were given away to eight persons in eight minutes flat.
Youth Services and Sports Minister Hanumanthappa Alkod didn't forget to inform whatever was left of the gathering that the CM will unveil Ram's statue in front of the Soudha "on a future date."
The function took all of 45 minutes.
The dignitaries rushed back to their cars, the crowd dispersed, but some of the bees were still hovering around!