CWG: Come on Wealth Games

“Personally, I will be unhappy if the Commonwealth Games are successful,” is what Mani Shanker Aiyar, a nominated Rajya Sabha member told a reporter. Sounds funny coming from a member of the ruling UPA and a congressman specially with a congress Govt ruling in Delhi. Its quite natural if you start thinking if Mani is insane.

Having served IFS for 26 years, Mani is quite experienced and knowledgeable. He is a respected politician and one of the very few learned ones. What makes Mani say such a thing about Commonwealth games which for the last 3-4 years is being projected as the jewel in Delhi’s crown?

There are reports that the CWG venues were incomplete and faulty.  While this is not surprising, Sports Minister M S Gill has other views. Gill said that all the venues are architectural and engineering marvels and no leakage or fault has been found at any of the Games venues. Gill is not wrong considering that stadiums are architectural & engineering marvels compared to old Govt buildings and leakage was tested in peak summer when there was no sign of rain. 

My good friend and a resident in nearby areas of Delhi Dr Kapil begs to disagree with the sports ministers. “To hell with him yaar, the games would be scrapped as the infrastructure is not enough. The stadiums are just not ready. The dude is out of his mind”. Clearly, Aam Aadmi like Dr Kapil (just generalizing Kapil, you are surely special) who get to see the preparation are vouching for inadequate preparation. Imagine a few drops of water on the running track when a 100 mts dash is happening. 

On a cloudy day with rain showers in many parts of Delhi, Aiyar offered, "I am delighted in a way because rains are causing difficulties for the Commonwealth Games. Basically, I will be very unhappy, if the Games are successful because then they will start bringing Asian Games, Olympic Games." Mani rain is not causing difficulties to CWG only, its causing problems to Delhi-ites too. The construction work was a bane on Aam Aadmi’s life (Kapil, you are special again) and now rain has compounded it even more. Kapil got emotional on life due to all the construction and other burdens CWG has brought on Aam Delhi-ite “its miserable yaar.. A famous poet has said: ..yahan khuda hai, wahan khuda hai. aur jahan nahi khuda hai, wahan kal khod denge..”

‘Deadline’ is not a familiar word to the government and organizers which reflects in the amount of work that has been completed. The all too familiar finger pointing is on as CPWD, the project executing agency, has blamed the organizing committee and its consultants for delaying the projects by constantly revising and re-revising designs for every venue. This is far from the earnest search for real answers and efforts to get things right! I wonder if construction would go on when the games are going on. Painting and badminton match happening simultaneously or a plastering and shot put at the same venue.  We can get the shot put throwers to throw a few bricks. 

A whopping 35,000 crore has been spent towards preparation of CWG. This is reported to be the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever. The cost is not a surprising part as there have been complaints alleging discrepancies in the contracts issued by civic agencies like Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council, Delhi Development Authority and Central Public Works Department among others. There have been reports of large-scale corruption and the Central Vigilance Commission is examining all contracts issued by civic agencies following complaints of alleged large-scale corruption. I hope the discrepancy is only issuing contract and not in construction work. Imagine what a weak roof could do to the head of an unsuspecting athlete.  

Mani feels it’s a matter of shame. "Just imagine if we would have spent the Rs. 35,000 crore in providing training to the children, we would have won medals in every international sporting event," Aiyar added.

Mani, if all politicians in India could be as sensible as you India would not be housing the number of billionaires as it does, at the same time India would not have as many poor as we have. It’s a pity that your sensibility is being dubbed as anti-nationalism. With the number of top level players dropping out of CWG, this would end up becoming a ‘Come on Wealth Games’ for politicians, civic agencies and contractors. Aam Aadmi like Kapil continues to bear the brunt as usual.