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Commonwealth Shame 2010

Written by Atula Gupta on August 7, 2010 in News, Sports | 30 Comments

It has been a busy past few weeks for the officials of the Commonwealth Games 2010. And while we would want to believe that their hectic schedules are a result of last minute preparations for the games that begin in 60 days, it is sadly not so. The people in charge of the games are busier dodging reporters, covering their shoddy work and masking their general ineptitude. While we want to forget the inflation for a few days in honour of the 72 participating nations from all over the world who will converge in Delhi to get a taste of the legendry Indian hospitality, those officiating the Delhi games are busier than ever before to present a picture of corruption and incompetence for all the nations of the world to see.

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue for CWG 2010. Courtesy BhaumikJ via wikimedia commons

We Indians are very easy to please. You promise us a concrete road but cover a single pothole in five years, we are happy. You make us believe that the water from the house tap will soon run 24 hours a day and you then give us just half an hour running water every alternate day and we are satisfied. But the judges of the Commonwealth games will not be the ever accommodating and easily conned common man of India. They will be sporting legends, players, officials and citizens of nations like Australia, England, Ireland, many of whom might have never visited the country and whose image of India revolves around Taj Mahal, Bollywood, snake charmers and general foul smells and fouls sights if you walk beyond the hotel rooms.

The Commonwealth Games could have been a golden opportunity to prove them wrong. To open their eyes to an India that is marching forward as a strong, determined nation, eager to rise above the socio economic challenges. It could have been a chance to break the stereotype and show the grit of a nation whose youth are determined to usher in a global era that is India’s alone. Such statements sound hollow now. Because a failed games experience staged in front of a sizeable global audience will only add teeth to the murmurs that there is a serious disconnect between the ultramodern image of 21st century India and the reality of the masses who still live in pitiable conditions.

It is only 60 days to the unveiling of the 19th Commonwealth games and the officials are still struggling with core issues. Stadiums are still incomplete, approach roads not yet made, underground cabling, water leakages, catering arrangements, debris removal, traffic mismanagement, tainted contractors, lack of coordination, problem of space, this list of issues not dealt with can become longer than the list of sporting events scheduled for the games.

India is not in the same league as China, USA, or Australia when it comes to winning medals in global gaming events like the Olympics, Asian games or the Commonwealth, but we do have a legacy of being the world’s best host. After all we keep our guests at the same pedestal as our Gods. Playing host to the world for Commonwealth 2010 could have ushered New Delhi the national capital and India into a new era in the history of Indian sports. But alas, the officials misinterpreted Commonwealth to be ‘common wealth’ an opportunity for their own fast monetary gain.

It is time more than ever before, for us to summon our 350 million Gods and hope that the taxpayers money do not all go into the pockets of people who have left no stones unturned to showcase a corrupt face of India to the world. It is maybe also time to be a little more vocal about the way we are always left to be satisfied with the little morsels of development.

Commonwealth games 2010 must surely be a successful event and hope the best of efforts are at least put in now by individual’s for whom the country’s prestige is very important. But more than anything else, even if the officials sweep the dusts under the carpet just in time, let us not rejoice about the patch-up job. Let this dirty game be a learning lesson for us, the common mass, to be more concerned of the way our new India is build. Our tolerance to different cultures, languages and religions is well known, but let the tolerance of corruption and incompetence cease with the games.

Continue reading Commonwealth Games is a Joke! , Common ‘Wealth’ Games..?

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30 Responses

  1. Aman
    September 26, 2010 at 8:21 am

    I believe you all people want to route out the problem of corruption.and I know that is not going to go off if anyone who is responsible for bad games is responsible gets punishment.
    This time you say Kalmadi , next time some other would be. I also know , this all cannot happen with single man being corrupt and you all people know and accept that it is right from peon level in India . They dont deliver dead bodies without bribe. You all are wise and aware enough about this. How many of you have never tried or bribed anyone yet.
    Stop Blaming Kalmadi or Gill and start bringing the culture. I am residing in US and know , you cannot ever dare to bribe a policeman or any legal authority.

    I would also request , donot raise name of Kalmadi unless you have all the information about the reponsible person. These games have been taken care by different authorities and some of them are siting aside yet. So let it come out and right now take it joint responsibility.
    I am not saying Kalmadi is right but I would say donot curse anyone untill it is proved . This is politics and you never know , who are responsible sleeping calmly.
    You all know , atleast you might have faced politices in office or some other parts of life.
    Please donot take it bad . i am writing this to just change our perception and donot go after what comes out. It is everywhere , just try smashing it every part of life then it will go off ultimately.

    • Anita Chanda
      September 27, 2010 at 8:41 am

      You are right! But change is also happening. Recently me and my husband got our passports renewed within a span of four months. I was pleasantly surprised when the policeman who came for verification didn’t ask for any bribe both the time he came. But then we are small common people. The big ones need a big, international shame to understand the effect of their greed. Lets hope something good comes out of this big shame.

  2. Amrit
    September 23, 2010 at 12:02 pm

    Hi Guys
    I am a NZ resident at the moment and are representing india as my home country. I am a Law student and i promise myself today that when i finish my Law, i would make a committee that would be reliable and honest not filthy leaders which are busy filling their pockets with the revenue that was allocated for Commonwealth Games. Shamefull!!!!!
    All these leaders should be burnt!!!! they are worse then criminals in india…
    All the corrupted police officers and leaders should be buried alive….

    Shame to be a part of corrupted nation!!!!!
    These leaders dont realise how these issues leave a huge impact on us living in foreign country, we become victim of racism, teasing and bullying.

    Where is the Prime Minister???? what is he doing about all this????
    why is he not taking any actions???? few days to go for commonwealth games and their roof’s are collapsing now???? why??? why?? why????

    • atula
      September 23, 2010 at 3:32 pm

      Bravo Amit! If you keep your promise, we at Indian Blogger will be the first to support and encourage you. I can only imagine the kind of harsh comments you hear in a foreign country because of no fault of yours. But do have faith in your abilities and know that we all are in someway changing the scenario by not taking this issue so lightly.

  3. Abdur ishaq
    September 22, 2010 at 10:54 pm

    I feel sad and ashamed as an Indian now.Last few months i was going through all reports comming up regards to CWG.now all over. A mess is a mess.I would like this event to be called off.This will be tight slap to all indians and will be a lesson for all of us.The games were approved on 2004 and after 6 years we still not able to do this implies “What crap we are ?”.When mathew hayden c once said india is a 3rd world country ,how we were fumed.But his statement is now underlined with red .Okay now all over, i am more curious to know what punishment will Kalmadi and co get..i know nothing as kasab is still enjoying his vaccation ,what kalamdi gonna get……We are a bunch of hypocratic hopeless people..
    Note:- next commonweath games that is 2014 ,Glascow— games village and other works are already completed.
    Asian games — China is ready with the games village and tracks.

    • atula
      September 23, 2010 at 7:54 am

      what I think is, those who made a blunder at such a high level, have become so thick skinned that even if the games were cancelled now, it will not make much of a difference in their lives or career. Ironically as you pointed out Glasgow is already ready for the games….as is China…Hope justice prevails and the offenders are given highest level of punishment for playing with a country’s pride.

  4. Shamita
    September 22, 2010 at 1:05 pm

    I hate Lalit Modi from the core of my heart but now I think that even if that cheat had been given charge of the Commonwealth Games he would have given India better prestige in the eyes of the world. What are Sonia Gandhi and her little slaves ( Manmohan Singh included) doing? We Indians have started thinking twice before singing, “Saare Jahan se Acha Hindusthan hamara “. We all better relocate to other parts of the world where the standards of hygeine are fit for humans and not for ‘ordinary’ citizens who need to die under collapsing bridges in and around loci of international activity in India. Just imagine – a crook like Lalit Modi turns out to be better than the shameless thieves that are running our country!!! At least he put up good shows by hook or ‘crook’. Finally I would liek to state that I am indeed shamed to be an India. How did Waka Waka Africa put up the spectacular, honorable FIFA World Cup 2010 and become the world favorite?????? I wish I had been born elsewhere and not in India. I HATE INDIA FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART- INDIA THE LAND WHERE POLITICIANS MAKE MONEY OUT OF SOLDEIR’S COFFINS!!. I HATE INDIA.

    • atula
      September 22, 2010 at 4:39 pm

      those are stong sentiments Shamita. You mean to say that we can forgive a cheat if he puts a good show in front of the world and not forgive those who blattantly steal public money. Won’t it be better instead that we stop forgiving any of these thieves and show true love for our country and its future by deciding to stop the corruption once and for all. India is not just made up of the handful of polititians but by 1.2 billion citizens who mostly shun from their responsibilty by saying they don’t care. If the country has to change, it is our attitude that has to change first.

  5. Ray
    September 22, 2010 at 11:43 am

    All the talks are too late to amend. Enough said. Face it, Its India’s shame.

    • atula
      September 22, 2010 at 4:26 pm

      It is and just like we hail team India’s cricketing victory as our own or an India born scietist’s nobel win as if we have won it, shouldn’t we take resonsibility for the shame too as our very own? Perhaps that guilt can make us collectively act to change the system.

      • Ray
        September 23, 2010 at 7:40 am

        True though. However, the authority was still trying to find excuses, not admitting the error by giving remarks as if nothing wrong is going on here, ‘I think the rooms are clean, they(Brits) want certain standard, but ‘my’ standard is different from your standard.’ that’s just making other people more annoyed. Thats just awful attitude!

  7. Rohit Vashistha
    September 14, 2010 at 1:55 pm

    God only help those who want to help themselves. We all very well know that the prepration of games is pathatic. I will even hope that CGF will make a final review and take back its decision to organize commonwealth in India. The corrept Indians should be slapped for their incompetance they they should be told that “CHALTA HAI” attitude is what they should leave as first thing to do. Officials should feel the gravity of responciblity. This can be done only if India have a menacing punishment policy.

    • atula
      September 14, 2010 at 4:42 pm

      I agree Rohit that the people who have spoilt India’s image at the global level should be punished, but before the hands of law finally get to them, it is upto people like us who decide at our level to boycott such corrupt politicians and not let them spread their evil ways further in the future.

  8. Hitesh Sharma
    September 10, 2010 at 10:48 am

    India’s present goal should be the development of human resources, dealing with poverty and creating a healthy, wealthy and literate India. I believe that as a result of the approaching Commonwealth Games, India, especially Delhi is undergoing a complete makeover where the infrastructure is concerned. Lavish five-star hotels, better flyovers, etc, are being constructed. Better buses can be seen running on the roads of Delhi.
    Why all this? Just to show that India is on its way to become a developed nation soon?
    But can it hide those shabby and disguised slums behind the shimmering and glamorous construction? Can it suppress the cries of those million hungry stomachs? Can it? Unfortunately not!

    • atula
      September 14, 2010 at 4:51 pm

      That is really an unfortunate circumstance Hitesh as you have pointed out corrrectly. If only real development took place in our country at all levels, if only tax payers money was used to do more good for the society, all these last minute cover up business would not even have been needed. Delhi, and the rest of the country could have already been the nation that our leaders want the world to see.

  9. Ajit
    September 4, 2010 at 3:17 pm

    I pray that the games are successful, but there is crippling feeling in me which asks why these things happen to us. There was plenty of time to improve just about everything and we could have showcased the brand new India to the world. However, at this juncture we should not let our anti-game feelings come out so vocally because it is the prestige of our nation which is at stake. Action on the part of Organising Committee along with support and vigilant eyes on the part of citizens is the need of the hour. God bless India….

    • atula
      September 4, 2010 at 4:00 pm

      Those are exactly my thoughts sir. We should all hope that the games are a grand success. Let our corrupt politicians not become the face of India but our hospitability, generosity and cultural integrity be what people of other coutnries remember about India when they visit in a month. And that can be done by the common man who lives in delhi or is part of the games in any way.

      • amod kulkarni
        September 22, 2010 at 1:37 pm

        Wanting the CWG 2010 to suceed is understandable. But its a fact that we all, you, me the people at large and even the media have ultra short memories. So, even at the cost of being called apathetic or not being nationalistic, I would wish that CWG 2010 should fail, or be called off. If they suceed, mark my words everyone involved in the grand scam, will pat their own backs and simply get away ! This has happened in past, but let it not happen this time. I have no doubt that India has managerial skills, technical knowhow, and dedicated sportsmen/women in abundant measure to host most spectacular games. BUT NOT THIS TIME…!!

  10. siddharth naik
    August 31, 2010 at 8:39 pm

    even m praying god that the whole event goes well.
    but somebody sud teach the authorities to be more responsible about the event.. they cant just handle the way they r doin..

    a request: can u tell sumthing about the sectors getting benefits from CWG 2010.. i mean tourism, hotel business, etc..

    • atula
      September 1, 2010 at 4:15 pm

      Thanks Siddharth for dropping by. I will surely keep your request in mind and come up with an article on the sectors benefitting from CWG 2010. We surely cannot be cynical about everything and do hope that the event is a grand success.
      Do keep reading future posts and also other interesting articles daily updated on the site.

  11. diva
    August 25, 2010 at 8:53 pm

    i really like it….

  12. Anita
    August 9, 2010 at 9:47 am

    So true! A little anger of the common masses is certainly required. We are too tolerant towards corruption and snail paced work of civic agencies.

    • atula
      August 9, 2010 at 10:24 am

      You are right. If few bad men can tarnish image of India, few good men can save it too. It is our choice, which group we want to belong to, the good or the bad…

      • deepti
        August 30, 2010 at 3:34 pm

        gr8 thoughts yaar. but just thoughts cant bring change to our country we need some strong actions toooooooo.

        • atula
          August 31, 2010 at 7:59 am

          Exactly deepti, strong actions from strong willed individuals who want to change and bring changes in the society. These thoughts may not bring change to our country but can surely act as the trigger for sleeping population of India who need to stir awake and speak out against corruption.