Finally finally, the day is about to approach when Delhi will host the Commonwealth games. For close to a decade, I have been hearing about infrastructure upgrades in Delhi, Metro, wide roads, T3, airport connectivity and all the other things which have been happening for quite sometime now. A lot has been said and written about irregularities in awarding contracts and functioning of the organizing committee. The usual blame game is in full swing. Mr. Kalmadi has been blasted left, right and center by everyone. I would like to ask all such people who have been pointing fingers, why are they so surprised and shocked? Was it not obvious to everyone that the games organizing committee will swindle funds? Didn't you know that there will be irregularities in the games budget? Did you ever think that any committee in this world can deliver such high magnitude games in the budget they estimated? The 2012 London Olympics organizing committee is in the same state, having reiterated their budget time and again and again and again. Such mishandling of funds have been going on for many years and throughout all these we are always shocked.
I fail to understand how Mr Kalmadi landed up in the organizing committee? May be heading the Indian Olympic Committee was good enough to get this role as well. Wow !!! those are lucrative jobs and the best part being you don't need to be from IIT's or IIM's to land up these jobs. May be an FIR somewhere would be good enough.
The Delhi government has been boasting about the infrastructure development it has done. Sheila Dixit is over the moon with the achievements of her government. Personally I feel, it is no great shakes. Any Tom, Dick and Harry would have undertaken all this development with the Commonwealth games on your head, along with a Supreme Court order. The Delhi government should realize that being a CM or Minister is a job (the adjective well-paid is an understatement now) and whatever development efforts have taken place should have happened irrespective of the games or court order. Can even one Indian standup confidently and assure that if there were no games in Delhi and no court pressure, the government would have still undertaken all this development? The development would have happened, albeit on paper and the money would just added to the lockers of the likes of Mr Kalmadi and his professional friends and foes.
Many people have been displaced from their homes and Mr. Jairam Ramesh is creating noise pollution by shouting about environmental hazards. The government's insensitive approach towards people is appalling. The ministers have the audacity to tell citizens of Delhi to take a break and go out of Delhi during the games. Lets take the area of 10 Janpath (home of the actual leader of the government) and all the bungalows (atleast 6000 sq. ft. each) occupied by the ministers in the heart of the city. All this area put together (300,000 sq. ft.) will make a very good site for the games village. And being in the VIP area you do not have worry about water, electricity or sanitation facilities. If this is not enough, lets take some area from the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Living space for the people is of course more important than growing roses in the Moghul Gardens. And let the displaced VIPs and VVIPs relocate to a 1 BHK LIC housing colony in Noida. After all its for 2-3 weeks only and the least our ministers can do is adjust.
The opposition in our country has never been a constructive opposition. All they do is look for ways to fill their pockets and bring down the government. The likes of Mani Shankar Iyer have clearly stated in the media that they wish the games were a failure. Shame on Mr Iyer for making such a statement and shame on everyone who wants the games to fail. I, for once want the games to be the best ever. Not because I side with Mr. Kalmadi, but because what is at stake is India's reputation on the world stage. India for Indians (including NRIs) is much like Hotel California. You can step out anytime you like, but you can never leave. Bring on the games !!!!!!!!!
I read an article by Chetan Bhagat on TOI last week. (Some may not like the man and his article for his very colloquial style of literature and bollywood type novels)
ReplyDeleteBut what interested me was why he thought these games should be a failure and I stand by that view. Reasons below
The GOI is dependent on Indian citizens to make this event a success. That’s the only way even the sponsors are going to make money with ads, when they have people involved.
Apart from elections, the only time citizens participation is required is in such events. The way citizens (their interests and money) are treated in our country requires no comment here. Already known.
So this should be looked at as an oppportunity to be seized by Indians to boycott the games and show non coperation - if we have learnt anything from MG, atleast from Munna (MBBS) - this is the time to show it. How else will we teach the government and future government that such kind of attrocities will not be tolerated?
Talking about Indian Pride - Agreed the world is looking at us and the country's pride is at stake.
But, it’s not just about what will be the result of the games - that would be a very short term view. It’s about how we as citizens deal with government attrocities and showing the power of democracy, making our vote count. This games and the boycott should be used to send a strong msg to the government, future governement and any companies that come into the country to set shop (Companies like Union Carbide - will be more cautious running shops here)
Chetan Bhagat quotes a story on his article - He mentions in his childhood there neighbours, were a young couple. The wife was being abused by the husbnad and often beaten. The lady always covered it up with excuses (and make up) though it was there for all to see. And the explanation to cover this up was again the highly glorified Pride of family. Eventually after a few years, the lady succumbed to the husbands abuse and lost her life. Where is the pride now?
Can draw direct parallels between this story and whats happening with CWG. Pride shouldnt be an illusion - like Mera Bharat Mahan. It should come from our actions and decisions we take.
I have to agree with you. Absolutely agree with Chetan Bhagat as well. But internal functioning of the government and its relationship with its citizens should not be blown out in front of an international audience. No matter how the government is, how they treat their citizens, we should refrain from washing our dirty linen in public. Its not about India pride. Its about our own self esteem and pride. Government and citizens could be at loggerheads but the international community needn't know about it.
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