CWG: Great show, India! But, do not forget to hang Kalmadi & Co.

Great show, India! 101, the magical figure which we reached with medals, make us so proud! Our athletes deserve a standing ovation! And, of course, not to forget the people behind staging of spectacular opening and closing ceremonies! It would be unfair if we do not salute the organizers for conducting the Games as it should have been done!

The preparedness came out to be superb ultimately! The facilities were world class! The Games Village was certainly best ever provided to sports fraternity for a CWG gathering! The stadia turned out to be spectacularly built! The turnout of all 71 countries (including the overseas territories of the UK) qualified Delhi 2010 to be the biggest ever Games! The viewership was equally massive – the biggest ever!

And, biggest was the money spent on the Commonwealth Games!

Rs. 77,000 crores! …

By any standards, this amount is quite huge! It still could have been justified - in a country with almost 70% people struggling to make two ends meet - if every penny was spent honestly – on sports and sportspersons and stadia and infrastructure. But we all know that this hasn’t been the case. The organizers and government officials – and politicians – involved in making Delhi ‘Games Ready’ indulged into unprecedented levels of corruption. Corruption so colossal and everybody so busy looting the country’s coffers that even when the nations in the Commonwealth Comity started to descend in Delhi, India looked in shambles.

Then the ‘Commonwealth Games Price Index’ was unbelievable! Money spent on purchase of materials and infrastructure was so exorbitant that it made one feel as if those were imported from Pluto! The entire scene was so embarrassing that at one point I felt ashamed of being an Indian. And it was in spite of the Indian Media – though quite belatedly – relentless in exposing the depth of corruption in hosting of the Games. Suresh Kalmadi, Sheila Dikshit, Jaipal Reddy, MS Gill, … were extraordinarily shameful in their conduct. There was simply no one around to take accountability for chaos and crises surrounding staging of biggest ever sporting extravaganza on Indian soil. The saddest part was that even our respected prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh – and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi – chose to keep quiet in spite of mounting criticisms. The result was that India from being ‘Incredible’ became ‘Unlivable’ in eyes of the world! … All was not well.

(Sheila Dikshit, don’t try to take entire credit for the success of the Games. You too are equally culpable for CWG mess and muck.)

Now that the Games are over; now that India has emerged as a strong sporting nation with second position in the medals tally: 38 gold haul and a total of 101 achievements; now that the world is convinced about India’s capabilities to stage a world class sporting event; now that all athletes have gone back happy; … we have to go back to the people who were responsible for holding the Games and take account of all the money spent. India should not spare the corrupt organizers, various governmental and sporting bodies and let them go scot free. As Suresh Kalmadi has said: “Hang me if found guilty!” I echo him: Hang Suresh Kalmadi & Co.! …

Though Suresh Kalmadi has emerged as the chief protagonist in the entire scam saga, it would be really naïve to think that he had the solo performance. As per official records, the Organizing Committee was given only Rs. 1600 crores towards expenditure from the allocated CWG funds of Rs. 77,000 crores. Majority of the money was so-called spent on building stadia, roads, flyovers, Games Village etc. which were under direct control of Delhi Government, Center (Lt. Governor of Delhi) and Urban Development ministry. Suresh Kalmadi had nothing to do with all of that. If India looked so pathetically inefficient and not at all ready even a few days before the start of the Games, main culprits were Sheila Dikshit, Jaipal Reddy and MS Gill, besides Suresh Kalmadi, who were directly overseeing functioning of the various bodies and agencies involved in preparing Delhi for the Games. For sure all these political figures are not saints walking the surface of India!

Therefore, my appeal is to the Prime minister to order a comprehensive probe and adequately punish all involved. Just by throwing Suresh Kalmadi out in the cold – now – will seem like shielding Sheila Dikshit, MS Gill, Jaipal Reddy and others.

PM’s belated action also makes one get a firm feeling that the plundered funds have indeed reached pockets of people at top of political pyramid of the Indian establishment and thus this “deflective directive” to nail Suresh Kalmadi alone is in fact to save those prominent players. Going by Indian standards, such a monumental scam couldn’t have been possible without political heavyweights getting their share in the loot. Moreover, the Indian Government knows too well that world famous Indian amnesia would take over soon and everybody – Media & Public - would conveniently forget about CWG and corruption and all corrupt people will continue to live happily ever after!

Here, I want to articulate one thing very clearly: the only person whom India believes to be absolutely above all kinds of corruption is the prime minister Manmohan Singh. And we are proud of him!

Hope, Mr. PM, you will be able to assert yourself and ensure proper action against all involved post probe – if it ever gets completed, unlike earlier times. Then only India will say: All is well! J

India is waiting and watching …

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Post script: Let us not forget our athletes now that the Games are over. After giving the Doordarshan its highest ever TRP in recent times, let us not exhibit our contradictory behavior and ignore other sports for cricket, as always…

Shouldn’t more such sporting events be organized regularly as India is ready for it now? Of course, minus Suresh Kalmadi, Sheila Dikshit, MS Gill, Jaipal Reddy … (Kala-pani for Kala-madi! To give him company, send Sheila Dikshit, MS Gill, Jaipal Reddy along with!)

Hang Kalmadi ! And, Declare the Games Cancelled!

Mr. Prime Minister and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, hang Suresh Kalmadi. And do not spare Sheila Dikshit, MS Gill, Jaipal Reddy and all those responsible for proper staging of the Commonwealth Games.

And, cancel the Games.

Mr. PM and Mrs. G, India has been shamed immensely and there is nothing left to salvage anymore. Before every Commonwealth country withdraws leaving India’s shameful unpreparedness to make Delhi’s life even more miserable, please pull the plug.

Mr. PM and Mrs. G, I wonder how on the earth could we manage an assortment of the worst kind of people to organize the Games. The embarrassment is so colossal that no amount of PR will ever get India’s prestige back. With its reputation in tatters and beyond repairs, India will never be able to stage a comeback on the global high table. The hosting of this sporting event has put India in a uniquely bizarre situation from where there is absolutely no escape. The whole world is laughing at us and is aghast and amused at our incredible ineptitude. After 7 years and 70,000 crore (US $ 2 bn) we could not even manage a simple event like the CWG! It is unbelievable and hugely humiliating.

Mr. PM and Mrs. G, both of you maintained your steely silence throughout even while the country’s coffers were being looted unashamedly by a bunch of utterly corrupt officials and politicians and let the country get humiliated and mutilated simultaneously. Not even for once did you own up your leadership responsibility which is highly disappointing.

Mr. PM and Mrs. G, if it was not for the Indian Media the nation would probably never have got the exact details of the mess that the CWG and the country are in today! The rot would have remained under the carpet and the country would have woken up to the devastating realities only when international delegations would have descended in the city and would have revolted against the shocking state of affairs surrounding the Games. India today is enormously indebted to the Media (I especially thank Times Now for starting the trail of Games exposes) for bringing the nauseating truth out of the closet with relentless coverage of the scam & sham that is CWG! And, not to forget Mani Shanker Aiyar!

Mr. PM and Mrs. G, the most appalling thing is that even today – after being subjected to insults of global proportions – no one is ready to own the accountability for the chaos and crises. The buck is unapologetically being passed around. But just remember that “the buck stops with you”. Therefore, take immediate action. Sack Kalmadi and Sheila and Gill and all involved with the Games. I am sure if a similar shameful episode (never-ending soap!) had happened in China, all involved would have been hanged in public!

And, cancel the Games.

If today from “Incredible India” we have become “Unlivable India”, you two are equally responsible, Mr. PM and Mrs. G.

To sum up my anguish and anger, I use Arnab Goswami’s analogy from today’s News Hour: It is like watching an accident in slow motion. … :(

Wake up, Mr. Prime Minister! (Jago, PM, jago!)

I say for the Nth time: Wake up, Mr. Prime Minister!

India says for the Nth time: Wake up, Mr. Prime Minister!

Tell us, Mr. Prime Minister, till how long will you continue to sleep? The entire nation awaits to hear your voice. There are myriad matters requiring your immediate intervention. India needs assurance from you, the prime minister of India, that all will be well soon. You simply cannot afford to keep silent. (“Silence of the Lamb”?!) As the head of state it is your primary responsibility to ensure that India keeps its commitments honourably. Of course, I am talking about the ongoing crises in the Commonwealth Games.

Mr. Prime Minister, the Indian Media – particularly Times Now - has done its job, though belatedly. Now it is your turn to act. Frankly, no other (developed) country would have let its Media do its work – of exposing the colossal levels of corruption in preparations of the CGW. And yet we are not prepared!

Yes, Mr. Prime Minister, though thousands of crores of tax payers’ money have been spent – criminally wasted – in the name of the Games, yet India is not prepared to host the Games. And you continue to be silent – almost appearing asleep. You cannot absolve yourself of your accountability.

Mr. Prime Minister, as the head of the state of India, it is your responsibility to show to the world that we are not a country with hollow global aspirations; that we as a nation are quite capable of delivering on our promises of holding a international stature event – howsoever irrelevant it may be for the global sporting community. And if today the whole world is casting serious doubts over preparedness of India for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games – besides India’s image suffering a further beating with surrounding corruption – you as the prime minister needs to address the nation and all those CW countries which are going to participate and assure them that the Games will be held as promised. You have to uphold India’s honour in the international arena.

Mr. Prime Minister, you are an incredibly honest politician with impeccable integrity and India owes majorly to you for its economic prosperity. Nevertheless, your position as the prime minister of India does not leave you with the option of sleep and silence over issues of immense importance. Please act and fast as time is less.

Mr. Prime Minister, immediately sack all members of the Organising Committee of the CWG – including Suresh Kalmadi and his cronies. Remove Sheila Dixit right away who as the chief minister of Delhi has failed miserably in delivering on required infrastructure in time. Straight away fire all corrupt officials and parliamentarians – including the useless sports minister M.S. Gill - involved in the preparations of the Games who have made fortunes by stashing away millions in their Swiss accounts. You should not only sack all of them but make sure that each one of the culprits is punished adequately as per laws.

Mr. Prime Minister, please take charge of the CWG directly and immediately by involving qualified and capable people. And if you feel the paucity of time will make it difficult for you to deliver as promised then simply scrap this unnecessary sporting extravaganza. Believe me, no one, absolutely no one, not even a single nation, India included, will miss the otherwise no-purpose Commonwealth Games.

Yes, Mr. Prime Minister, you need to break your silence and speak; not only speak but act swiftly. I am sure no other head of state of a developed nation would have allowed this to happen in his/her country. And even if things would have gone horribly wrong and mammoth corruption would have surfaced, each one of them would have acted instantaneously. Barack Obama, David Cameron, Angela Merkel, Dmitry Medvedev / Vladimir Putin, Nicolas Sarkozy, you name any, all would have acted and owned the accountability completely – and timely.

Mr. Prime Minister, sadly we have not seen you ever speak or act when required. Whether it was 26/11 then (you had taken 3-4 days to face the nation on television to read from a typed script; I don’t think it should have been too difficult for you to speak without an aid on the issue) or the deep crises plaguing the forthcoming Commonwealth Games now.

Prime ministership is not a position; it is a serious responsibility; prime minister is not a ceremonial head but leader of its people. Mr. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, either act like a prime minister or step down. This way you will sustain your honour and respect in hearts and minds of Indians.

I support Mani Shankar Aiyar on Commonwealth Games

Mani Shankar Aiyar has my solid support on Commonwealth Games.

He is the only parliamentarian – politician – with enough courage to speak bluntly. Rest are simply too busy stashing away common man’s wealth in their Swiss accounts. Then there are many who are too blinded to see India feel “honoured” by staging this no-value Games.

What purpose will this no-purpose Games serve for India? Or even for its sporting community? Or sports in general? Rs. 35,000 crore if spent properly – i.e. honestly - would have helped both players and various sports immensely and then perhaps we could have hoped to graduate from rare solitary medal to a couple of ones in future Olympics.

Then what is this talk of India’s “honour” in successfully hosting of this unnecessary sporting extravaganza? It is akin to “preserving” one’s so-called honour through “honour-killing”! The analogy is not inappropriate. The sports administrators and politicians involved have indeed made a “killing” for themselves in the name of the Games.

And, if we were so concerned about increasing India’s ratings on the Global Honour Index - !!! - then we should have ensured every penny from Rs. 35,000 was spent honestly in developing required infrastructure so critical for success of the Commonwealth Games. Why nobody is pointing towards colossal levels of corruption indulged into by all involved in the Games? Can’t everybody see those gaping holes and already blown away roofs of the newly built stadia? Is there any doubt lingering in the tortoise-paced preparedness of India? Only a blind person can be fooled by all those rhetoric of Suresh Kalmadis and Shiela Dikshits. … I wonder why the Government of India is feigning sleep. For sure, Commonwealth Games conduction is its prime responsibility as well.

If little bit of rains could expose the real picture of India’s preparations for the Commonwealth Games, then I wish Delhi gets “real” rains this monsoon. At least, the world will know beforehand what they are getting into by agreeing to participate in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. I also pray Delhi’s monsoons get prolonged till October so that all illusions about the so-called Grand stature – honour – of our nationare washed away and India comes out in its “true” colours in front of everybody – Indians and international community as well.

I am also thankful to these more-than-usual level of rains in Delhi which forced the Indian media to wake up eventually and “break” the “facts” before gullible Indians, so conveniently called the “aam-aadmi”.

To all those who think I am a “detractor” like Mani Shankar Aiyar: For God’s sake, the massive amount of money taken out of our country’s coffers in name of the Commonwealth Games is “our” money – we taxpayers’ money – your and my money; we work hard to earn and pay huge taxes every year. The Games could be called “Commonwealth” but the money (being) spent - ??? – is not “Commonwealth”. And as an honest & honourable citizen of India, I feel enormously pained and extremely angry at the wastage of my tax money.And that is the reason why I fully support Mani Shankar Aiyar on the Commonwealth Games issue.