CWG – Commonly known as the Commonwealth Games but for me the only thing correct about this abbreviation is the word ‘Wealth’ in it. I am not saying this out of frustration or anger but because of the facts.
Before you start reading this post, I would like to request you to keep any kind of prejudice away as this post has nothing against the selfless Indian athletes who have always brought pride to the nation, the brave Army men who built the foot-over bridge and kept us secure, the children, the volunteers or the policeman without whom this event wouldn’t have been possible.
I am only and only against the corruption that has taken place in the name of CWG. My plea to everyone who reads this post is – Let’s not the let the brilliant performances by our athletes or the spectacular Opening & Closing ceremonies overshadow what people like Suresh Kalmadi has done with our trust and money. Its time to bring the scoundrels to justice.
Here are the 6 abbreviation’s of CWG that I could come-up with. Please feel free to add more in the comments section.
1) Congress Wealth Games
As pressure mounts on Kalmadi to sack his aides, he finally said that Organising Committee Joint Director General T S Darbari will go. CWG treasurer Anil Khanna quit over allegations of corruption. Kalmadi himself says he’s ready for any kind “scrutiny“. Meanwhile the BJP stages a demonstration demanding his expulsion.
There were greater concerns dogging the Commonwealth Games. The progress of the construction work had taken a backseat while charges of corruption and politics are pushed to the forefront. As per reports say that late Sunday night (Aug 01, 2010), the Sports Ministry wrote to the CWG Organising Committee to sack joint director general T S Darbari and deputy director general Dr Sanjay Mohindroo. The letter says,
“They tarnish the image of the Games and adversely affect its credibility… I would strongly advise you that the above two officers should be immediately relieved of all their duties in the OC and the Government informed accordingly…”
With the controversy not showing signs of abating, IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi met External Affairs Minister SM Krishna earlier today to “clarify CWG’s stand on UK money trail“. Kalmadi still maintains that there is no corruption and that they’ve always been transparent with their work.
However, he does appoint a three-member panel to probe into this allegation of money laundering. Will this move make any difference? Or is it too little, too late?
2) Corruption with Guts
Is part of the 35,000 crore meant for the CWG going elsewhere? Reports indicate that there is a “major scam” with a huge amount of money being transferred to a UK-based company.
Television channels reported that over 4.50 lakh pounds were transferred through a British bank to the A M Films company, said to be a one man show, which was also receiving 25,000 pounds a month.
There has been a disquieting whiff of postcolonial satisfaction in the foreign reaction to rising India’s comeuppance. Yet a wholesale cancellation might just be the best thing for a nation that — while it can lay claim to tremendous promise — is still struggling to be great.
Many observers will be tempted to see this failure as a fable of false pride ending in just humiliation. But apathy, not hubris, is India’s fatal flaw, and a bracing dose of shame may be exactly what is needed to shake its incredibly capable, but politically inert, middle class into action.
The risk is that this shame will inject new life into the old argument that India suffers from too much democracy — a favorite hobby horse of this bunch. No, India is not China. But the Games fiasco was not the result of parliamentary gridlock or popular protest. The farce was scripted by cronyism, corruption and a complete lack of accountability — all aided by the Indian politician’s complete disregard for the voter’s disgust. Unfortunately, the most shameful are the most shameless.
3) Convenience will-be Gone
This is what our Games Village Mayor had to say when he was scrutinized by the Media.
- Dogs sleeping inside athlete rooms – The fault of the MCD. The dog catching team was asked for but yet to report. So the stray dogs can jump in and take an afternoon nap on the same beds where athletes are supposed to relax. For God’s sake run after anyone you like, but don’t poison these innocent dogs for your ego.
- Paan spits on the wall – The workers are all from UP & Bihar and fond of their Paan and Gutkha. So they might have done this artwork. Ask them instead of me, as I myself don’t consume them nor I have spit all around.
- Messy and filthy rooms – Even when you occupy your own flat for the first time, it generally is messy. So we citizens shouldn’t blow our ass for this small reason. Oh really? Then should we ask all the athletes to come here along with their Jhadu, bucket and pocha lagane ki kapda? That would pretty much settle the case and solve the problem.
- OC guys pissing all around in open air – Its nature’s call and one better be disposed to the nature directly.It is a matter of individual’s choice. You might like Western toilets but I might prefer visiting the nearest paddy field with a lota in my hand. You know it’s all about comfort levels. This is another theory of relativity in terms of shitting. And Albert Einstein turned violently again.
- Algae in water tanks – It was for sure a bad day and the best was reserved till the last. Out of nowhere a foot overbridge near the Jawaharlal Nehrustadium gave in. This eventuality made the queen of the opera to come to the stage with her polished Miranda house accent. How I can forget her flamboyant cotton Saree? When asked how each day a new bloody thing can happen to the CWG, this is what she has to say – The foot over bridge was for the aam admi (so shouldn’t be attached with CWG), not the players. So? Aam aadmi can die as long as you can save your back from the CWG ghost? Mam, can you imagine what would have happened – if few athletes were right below and the bridge crashed on their heads? Don’t bother how many of the aam addmi the bridge might take along while crashing on the poor athletes’ heads. As per her, the builder is black listed and some bloody enquiry would be carried out with reports expected in three weeks. So for next three weeks we shouldn’t bother her by showing our filthy and unhygienic faces. Let me admit – I am still in dilemma, whether to cry or laugh on these stupid statements. To top all this, a section of the roof in the wrestler’s arena of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium collapsed, and the Delhi CM, Ms. Sheila Dixit’s riposte was that small things keep happening.
4) Collaboration with Goons
- Ms. Sheila Dixit
- Suresh Kalmadi
- M.S. Gill
- Lalit Bhanot
- Maj (Retd) Dalbir Singh (Games village mayor)
Figure this out. One-stop luxury shop Harrods of London sells one of the world’s best treadmills for Rs 7 lakh. But the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) shelled out an astronomical Rs 9.75 lakh for each unit of the fitness equipment (not necessarily the same brand) – that too on rent. And this is just one of the products which cost the OC a bomb.
In fact chairman Suresh Kalmadi’s list of expenditure has left even the wealthiest of people startled, with a roll of tissue – that should cost a mere Rs 35 – being bought for Rs 4,138.
Each chair has been rented by the OC at a cost of Rs 8,378 and it has spent Rs 8.8 lakh for every cross-trainer. A 100-litre refrigerator has been hired for an astonishing price of Rs 42,202.
The OC had floated tenders for overlays (equipment that will be rented for a period of 45 days since it would not be required on a permanent basis) for the October 3-14 Games. But the beleaguered is now feeling the heat over the huge bills it has run up for the equipment.
Astoundingly, while the OC has paid little attention to the quality of infrastructure – which is described by most technical experts as lacking in quality – it has exceeded all conceivable limits in its expenditure on rented equipment.
The deals made on overlays – treadmills, cross-trainers, air-conditioners, umbrellas and chairs – have already been given the go-ahead by the OC. The overlays consist of around 1000 different items to be placed at 60 venues, 4,000 rooms and in external places to be used by athletes, security personnel, volunteers, Games officials, VIPs, workforce, etc.
Despite the glaring impressions of mismanagement and splurging patterns, the OC claims it has spent very conservatively.
“The contracts were allotted on a competitive bidding basis,” OC secretary general Lalit Bhanot said on Monday.
“The rates for some individual items were higher compared to those offered by other vendors for the same pieces, while some rates were comparatively lower. The overall price of the lowest bidder was lower than the price of the other vendors,” he claimed.
“The treadmill is of a high-end make and was used in the Beijing Olympic Games. The purchase price is Rs 29 lakh (approx). The rental is Rs 9 lakh, which is less than onethird of the cost price of a new machine. The rental includes operation and maintenance of the equipment. There is a major difference between the household treadmill and the ones used by professional athletes,” he added. But the reactions of athletes also bear testimony to the fact that the amount at which Kalmadi and his officials have hired equipment from abroad defies common sense.
Top athletes of the country have argued that India has the best of equipment and there is no need to spend so much on such trivial aspects.
“I think all this could have been spent on training the athletes. After all, they are the ones who will compete in the Games and win medals,” an ace shooter who did not want to be named said.
“There is so much of money to spend on everything other than on athletes themselves. When highquality gym equipment is available in the country, what prompts them to get treadmills for Rs 9.75 lakh from abroad?” another athlete asked.
A trainer at a high-end gymnasium of south Delhi said, “We run a multi- purpose gymnasium. We generally buy all such equipment time and again and it includes maintenance as well. Yet the costs are not so high.”
5) Can We Go (Away from this mess)
You might have heard of the Summer vacations, Winter vacations, Diwali holidays or Christmas vacations but this time we Delhites had the CWG Holidays.
According to tour operators, countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Mauritius are seeing an increased tourist inflow from Delhi for short-haul vacations to escape from the city during the Commonwealth Games.
“There has been a 40 to 50 per cent jump in the number of bookings for people going out of Delhi. Because of CWG, with all the educational institutes closed, people in Delhi are making plans to go out of the city,” Yatra.com Co-founder and Executive Vice President Sabina Chopra said.
Factors such as economical travel packages and visa on arrival make the region a favoured destination.
“A lot of hotels such as Banyan Tree and Amari in the South East Asian countries are offering packages starting Rs 20,000 per person designed specially for people looking to travel during the games,” TRAC Representations Associate Director (Operations) Rajeev Nangia said.
The company represents a host of international tourism boards and hospitality firms in India. He said countries such as Thailand and Mauritius also offer free Visa on arrival.
Expedia, a travel services provider that has designed special packages targeting such travelers, said it has witnessed increase in bookings for outbound travel from the Capital.
“There is an increase of around 30 per cent in the number of bookings for outbound travellers,” Expedia India Marketing Head Manmeet Ahluwalia said, adding South Asian countries are the favourite among the travellers.
Families are also looking to travel during the games as many educational institutes and offices will remain closed.
Besides foreign destinations, Yatra.com is also offering packages to Andaman and Nicobar islands with special chartered plane.
“This is the first time we have taken such an initiative,” Chopra said.
According to industry observers, usually in North India people do not travel out during this time of the year.
But this year due to the CWG the trend seems to have changed.
“On an average, a family of four is spending between USD 5,000-7,000 for a holiday. We have received around 500 bookings from people opting for leisure travel outside India,” Pearl International Tours and Travels Executive Director Arjun Seth said.
“Even corporates are organising dealership incentive programmes to places like Thailand and Malaysia,” he added.
6) Call-girls Whilst Games/ Common Whore Games
Delhi’s oldest red light area, GB road, is giving itself a more pleasing and friendly look. The paan-stained walls are being replaced by the glossy surface of the LCD TV while the fluent English of the sex workers will make the communication easier. Facilities like split air-conditioners and refrigerators are financed by the owners of the brothel houses to attract more customers.
Delhi based non-voluntary organizations are focused on the health and hygiene of the workers. A series of medical tests are being conducted to identify those who are HIV positive in order to ensure the safety of the sex workers as well as that of the prospective customers. There is bound to be a surge in the clients (largely tourists) in the brothels during the games, thus strict precautionary measures must be taken to avoid the spread of diseases.
NGO’s are counseling the workers about the preventive measures like, “No condom, no sex, as simple as that” as told by a sex worker from Andhra.
Americans and Europeans tourists have remained the much awaited and favorite clients of the Escort services as they pay well. These agencies are busy increasing the number of national and international call girls in order to meet the customer’s requirements. Making the girls look well groomed and fit so that they can work for extra hours has become the main focus of the escort agencies.
Tina Jaiswal who owns the No 1 Delhi Escort agency said, “We hope to make good money during the games. We will simply follow the demand and supply principle of economics. We will double our rates a month before the games begin and increase our workforce.”
I have a lot more to share but I think I’ve made my point here. I have snippets and pictures supporting all the above claims but I have avoided the use of them as its not a media gimmick for me. I am doing it for a cause and will stand by it like I did previously for ‘The Peace India Campaign’ where we assembled outside Jantar Mantar for a Peace Walk.
I am elated that this time we have celebrity power @GulPanag with us who is an activist and a humanitarian . She not only takes care of www.colshamshersingh.org but also takes part actively on twitter for social causes.
If you also feel that we are fighting for the right cause then join us for the protest. For more info visit the @CWGcorruption page on Twitter or Facebook
Quote of the Day:
Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual, the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country.
-Karl Kraus
Nikhil Chawla 