August 30, 2010

Common Wealth Games: Playing Games with Common Man's Wealth !


Corruption has become a part of our lives, we have started accepting it as a necessity like food and shelter. The latest scam to be unearthed is the one to deal with the upcoming common wealth games, everyone has accepted that the process was corrupt, the only argument is to ascertain the amount. Speculations vary from 40,000 Crore to 100,000 Crore + , the peculiar thing is that every new scam has the ability to out do the previous one, we forgive and forget the previous hungama like it was nothing compared to the latest one.

Chetan Bhagat in his recent column in a popular newspaper aptly compared an Indian citizen to a battered wife who is expected to hide her bruises and praise her husband ( in this case the games organisers). Look at all the recent scams, The Spectrum Scam, The CWG Scam, The Arunachal PDS Scam, The Sukna Land Scam etc. the list can go on and on. We have become mute spectators to a game played with our money and where we always end up the loser's.

Another aspect to the whole CWG issue is that whether we need such a sporting extravaganza in dire times of fiscal prudence, when more than half our populace is going to the bed with an empty stomach. It is just a tamasha organised for the Middle class by the organisers which is yet another opportunity for them to steal money. In the name of the Games a major part of the capital has been dug up and disfigured which doesn't looks like to be fixed any time soon.

Lets get our priorities right why do we need such colossal events when we haven't even made an effort to develop world class athletes ( 1 or 2 medals in an Olympics from a Billion Plus cannot be considered) . Let us emulate China in this case, they had boycotted from international sporting events for decades till they developed world class athletes. And what about all our deficiencies in the development front lets get those fixed first before such circuses.

We have started accepting corruption as a structural fault like some cheap Chinese watch which will stop working, or a loaf of bread that will expire in few days. If money is involved corruption has to be there too. It is our mistake to expect otherwise, we don't expect men with integrity exist or even if they do they are a paradox in the society. From the police constable on the road to the our sacrosanct judiciary, everyone is alleged of corruption.

Even our cinema has stopped depicting straightforward heroes, the new hero is the one who is able to manipulate the system to his favour, not one who challenges it. Recently came across a Telugu Movie called " Leader" which was different from the stereotypical ones (take alook at it ).
So what will happen to the games, we will have to wait and watch. But a statement made by Mani SHankar Iyer could give you a hint of the things to come " India is the only country where you find an international airport is build for 9,000 Crores and you find the ceiling leaking" .
One thing is sure and predictable we will have bigger scams and more hullaboo, we are definitely being regularly entertained what if it is at our own cost ?
tc

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