[The newspaper reports say it all: stale food, lack of water, right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing, drivers losing their way, drivers up sticking en masse in disgust, pilfering of tickets by the Olympic Committee giving them to their cronies, police personnel walking away with items deposited before entry, ticket holders not aware of the restrictions, many restrictions totally asinine, total lack of coordination in every sphere where the organizing committee and the government have touched (mercifully the government and the OC - according to press reports - were out of the opening ceremony to a very large extent), pilfering from the Games Village, other pilfering which will come to light later, and so on and on and on.]
By Vinod Saighal
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| General Saighal |
What the world had to say about India in the build up to the Common Wealth Games - CWG and the massive loot that has taken place is well-known. Please read the comment (reproduced at the end of this write up) from the Bangladesh High Commissioner, well after the Games had started. Attached in a separate mail is the photograph sent from the ambassador of another friendly country. Both these should be put up in the galleries of our Parliament and the bedrooms of those at the apex who run this country and the ministers and incumbents on whose watch Delhi and the nation has been shamed. 'Amazingly' it still continues, day in and day out.
The newspaper reports say it all: stale food, lack of water, right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing, drivers losing their way, drivers up sticking en masse in disgust, pilfering of tickets by the Olympic Committee, giving them to their cronies, police personnel walking away with items deposited before entry, ticket holders not aware of the restrictions, many restrictions totally asinine, total lack of coordination in every sphere where the organizing committee and the government have touched (mercifully the government and the OC - according to press reports - were out of the opening ceremony to a very large extent), pilfering from the Games Village, other pilfering which will come to light later, and so on and on and on.
There seems to be a major breakdown of management, administration and in some cases discipline. The reason is not far to seek. The looting having started at the top on a scale that is stupefying, it has had a ripple down effect down the line, to the lowest functionary. How can you keep them out, when there is a total breakdown of good order and every leader is blaming somebody below.
The demonstrated breakdown in governance is a threat to national security. Going by past events the government does not appear competent enough to act in a national emergency and hence cannot be trusted to look after the national interest in war. It is not a severe enough indictment. The outgoing CVC has categorically stated that brining the higher level functionaries to book appears to be impossibility. It still has not served as a wakeup call. Across the political spectrum the number of tickets being given to known criminals as per NEW (ADR report) is climbing higher and higher. Where exactly are our leaders taking the country. The sums that the netas have looted now run into billions of dollars according to reliable estimates. Whom are we going to trust?
The real tragedy is that this is not India. Indians can perform at levels that are better than world class wherever the government - the netas and the babus - have been kept out. Any number of examples can be given, including the Opening Ceremony, Delhi Metro and so many other examples.
In the light of the foregoing the media, those who have the courage, should stop pussyfooting and come out 'all guns blazing'. Name the villains and keep after them; they are selling the country down the river*. None of them will dare sue, because then the whole edifice will come tumbling down. It is pointless blaming just this government, which as presently constituted cannot be trusted and does not display the competence to successfully prosecute a war should one be forced upon the country. The more frightening prospect is that a successor government comprising netas currently out of power - be it at the Centre or the States - does not inspire confidence either. To obviate a national breakdown the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court must suo motu initiate the following steps:
· Foolproof measures to free the CVC, CBI, all Central Investigative agencies from the clutches of coteries (again both at the Centre and States) who have destroyed the credibility of these instruments of national security, as well as their independence and morale*.
· The Centre & States should be obliged to follow through on the Supreme Court directive for Police Reforms by a fresh date - no later than 31 March 2011. After which they should have no hesitation in hauling up those not conforming for contempt of court. Where required 'carefully selected oversight citizens bodies' should be nominated to ensure that civil servants and ministries do not again sabotage the directives through one device or the other. The resolve of the courts should be grim enough to send shudders down the spines of all those - no matter how high - who feel that they have made themselves invulnerable to prosecution through subversion of the system*.
· All lists of foreign account holders available with the government must be perused ('in camera' by the designated Justices, if necessary) and progress for action taken to be monitored.
In sum restore the confidence of the public in the rule of law. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court should give directions for ensuring the following:
· Assets created for the CWG are not stripped once the Games are over;
· All contracts for the last 5 years to be put on websites. Any wrong, insufficient or misleading information should lead to the immediate suspension and prosecution of the head of the agency or body concerned.
· A technical committee to be nominated by the Delhi High Court to see the quality of the assets created, whether they were cosmetically made fit for a short period of the Games or whether they will serve the tax payers for decades to come. Prosecutions to commence under fast track courts to serve as an example to the rest of the country that democracy is not in terminal decline and can still be salvaged.
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No doubt, but after sheen of the razzmadazz wears off, many will still remember the paiful experiences encountered in trying to view some of the events. Today my wife and I could not go to pep up our team at the archery venue. We both had accreditation cards and my flag car also had access sticker, and we had been assured that was all that was required as we were honoured guests.
My driver's particulars were noted, but we were told he did not need accreditation card. But when, after 45 minutes driving we reached the place, we were treated like suspected terrorists, and finally my wife, I and my car were given clearance but not the driver as he did not have special accreditation Card.
I am afraid we do not have a car that drives by itself -- and till late this afternoon various officials were scratching their heads and trying to solve the puzzle of how to get a car to drive by itself without a driver! We were advised to go to another gate from where we would have had to walk half a mile -- that put off both of us, on account of medical problems.
Over last four decades, I have served in numerous posts, but never have had to face such a situation (not even during the Tian Anmen situation in China in '89) when I faced so insulted. If a resident High Commissioner and his wife, that too from a very friendly neighbour, are treated like terrorist subjects, I wonder what aam aadmi – general public- have faced.
The gaffe was obviously because there was utter lack of coordination between different agencies involved in managing logistics, security and access issues. The left hand had no clue what the right was doing!
India needs to get its act together, and is a while away from bidding for the Olympics. National pride alone will not bridge this gap.
The Resident,
High Commissioner of Bangladesh ,
New Delhi,
India
(The author is retired major general of Indian army http://www.vinodsaighal.com/ and Convenor of MRGG (Movement for Restoration of Good Government & Founding Trustee NNFI - National Network for India).
[Not only has a huge amount of about Rs.70,000 crore ( 1 crore = 10 million) has been squandered on the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, with most of the money pocketed by the corrupt leaders, bureaucrats and their relatives, but even the very prestige of India has been destroyed with the airing of the obscene song of A R Rahman.]
By Ashok T. Jaisinghani.
A huge expenditure has been incurred by the Government of India on staging of the Commonwealth Games, when the majority of the poor people of our country are deprived of their basic needs like adequate food, drinking water, clothes, shelter, hygiene and education. Massive quantities of food grains are deliberately stored to rot in the go-downs to raise prices by creating artificial shortages. In this way, huge profits are made by cheating and depriving the poor people of adequate food at reasonable cost. Millions of Indians starve and die of diseases because of poverty, but massive amount of funds can still be diverted to run the big shows like the Commonwealth Games for the benefit of a few people.
Not only has a huge amount of about Rs.70,000 crore ( 1 crore = 10 million) has been squandered on the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, with most of the money pocketed by the corrupt leaders, bureaucrats and their relatives, but even the very prestige of India has been destroyed with the airing of the Games’ obscene theme song by A. R Rahman.
The official song for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games has the title, "India Bulaa Liyaa," which can also mean "India took the expletive ( suggesting male reproductive organ)." The two words "Bulaa Liyaa" have two meanings. Whatever be their spellings, the pronunciation and meaning of "Bulaa Liyaa" are the same while speaking and singing.
We have been taught to revere and respect our motherland - India as a mother, but the official song for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, "India Bulaa Liyaa," clearly seems country’s pride and dignity compromised with the word choices. These words have double meanings.
Why did the composer and music director of the song, A R Rahman, not use the words, "India Bulaayaa" or "India Ney Bulaayaa" or "India Bulaariyaa"? Why has he deliberately chosen the words like "India Bulaa Liyaa" that clearly do have sexual meaning also ? Would A R Rahman explain why he had chosen such obscene words "India Bulaa Liyaa" for the theme song ?
If A R Rahman thinks such words not obscene and are appropriate for the song, would he be willing to answer the question below:
"Can the words be used with the names of top leaders of the country ?"
"Can the words be used with the names of top leaders of the country ?"
There is absolutely no doubt that A R Rahman's controversial words "India Bulaa Liyaa" are going to make his song hot-cake or liked all over the world just some cheap types of movie songs originating from Bollywood.
Why has the Government of India not censored those humiliating and provocative words before officially approving such a theme song?
‘India Bulaa Liyaa’ on TV Channels:
Doordarshans (TVs) have been boldly airing the words, "India Bulaa Liyaa," again and again on their channels. An unanswered question is here as to why have India's world class newspapers and TV channels kept silent on the issue of such a grave embarrassment to the whole nation? Have all the leaders of our country become deaf ? Was there none in India who would have otherwise composed some other beautiful song like Sakira’s ‘Waka waka’ or This Time for Africa 2010 World Cup’ ?
The obscene words of A R Rehman's song are heard many times every day by crores of people on Doordarshan (TV) channels. Can anyone stop airing such phrases with double meanings? As the Government of India has okayed Doordarshan to telecast, "India Bulaa Liyaa," the Indian people may also say or sing: Manmohan Singh Bulaa Liyaa; Suresh Kalmadi Bulaa Liyaa; M S Gill Bulaa Liyaa; Pranab Mukherjee Bulaa Liyaa; S M Krishna Bulaa Liyaa; P Chidambaram Bulaa Liyaa; Rahul Gandhi Bulaa Liyaa; A R Rahman Bulaa Liyaa; Congress Bulaa Liyaa; UPA Bulaa Liyaa; etc.
Will A R Rahman write and sing a song with the words, "A R Rahman Bulaa Liyaa?" Somebody is likely to write such a song! Words with double meanings are likely to be used with the names of the females also !
We should just wait for the reactions of the ladies when the roadside Romeos start singing "India Bulaa Liyaa" and hurl thee words "Bulaa Liyaa" towards young girls in all the towns and cities in our country.
There can be nothing more embarrassing than these words for the ladies to hear in the streets and lanes all over India?
(The author is an editor from New Delhi, India www.SindhiKalakar.com )
