The Pioneer-Dilli-Billi-6th.Sep.10

'Is disaster looming ahead?'

It was an impressive show of determination, dignity and unity cutting across party lines by our M.P’s in their chorus that the Common Wealth Games must be a success. Even as the opposition leaders echoed that the Common Wealth Games must be a success, during the parliament session last week the corruption charges against the organizing committee were in full swing as the media blew the lid on preparations for it which were full of sleaze and money making and commission to friends and family rather than fool proof arrangements for the participants and visitors.

One thought that roping in the Oscar winner A.R. Rehman for a song would put at least some life and encourage many at last. One can always be positive when A.R. Rehman’s name is mentioned, but one feels led down even here. Is it that all these scandals did not encourage A.R. Rehman’s lyrics, or was Kalmadi not a good enough inspiration for Rehman, or was the simple South Indian just too disgusted with the stories on the Common Wealth Games but as he was committed he had to come up with something and this was the best he could do, to fulfill his commitment. As if this song of Rehman was not a dampener enough the “dengue” has scared the visitors who were thinking of coming to the capital for these games. The little bookings that were done are being cancelled. The foreigners are thinking twice about coming after the rise in dengue cases in Delhi. The Health Minister has blamed the rise on the digging all over the city for the spread of this.

The Prime Minister has taken a personal interest in the preparations along with the Sports Minister now. It has become a matter of pride for the Nation to make sure that the games go well. After having spent thousands of crores in the pre-arrangements in the last eight years it is a shame that at the fag end when all venues should have been ready and athletes practicing, there is nothing that is completed. The only thing that seems to have happened is that the personal bank accounts of the people involved in these games must have become heavier. People have lost faith that the clumsy and corrupt will be punished as the corrupt are still grinning from ear to ear. With the leaders taking a personal interest now we do hope so that we are not shamed world over. But if these games were no inspiration to a lyricist like A.R. Rehman to come up with a swinging tone what can we expect from our athletes who have not had a single day of practice in the stadium? In London where the Olympics are taking place in 2012 the venues are all ready and their athletes are practicing day and night? Will they not do better than the other participants then? Here in India the caterers are still clueless, the swimming pool is out of proportion, the shooting range is not to any specification and the roads are full of debris. The phrase of ‘Sab Chalta Hai’ seems to be the catch phrase of the moment.