Commonwealth Games Grand Opening Ceremony No Cover Up for Grand Corruption

The corruption, the scandals and the delays surrounding the 19th Commonwealth Games in New Delhi were blown away by the spectacular opening ceremony that awed billions who watched it. Hailed by the global media as a triumph for India, it is India's greatest sports extravaganza, costing nine billion dollars. But does it exonerate the organisers from the massive corruption and scandals that dogged it? The Indian, and the later the international media, exposed its ballooning budget, the shoddy preparations, the missed deadlines and the alleged corruption during the preparations. Will it all be swept under the carpet after this extravaganza?

Certainly not. At the opening celebrations, the 60,000 crowd booed the chief organiser when he started to speak. Later, the media appreciated the great show but reminded that detailed investigations into the lapses and punishment for the guilty must follow the games as many Indians spared a thought for the 700 million poor. The 22 million overseas Indians or Non Resident Indians (NRIS) are equally concerned about these issues of splurging billions; for example providing five-star toilets for 7,000-odd athletes when 665 million Indians do not have a bathroom.

The answers to a couple of questions I circulated to a number of overseas Indian friends are eyeopeners. Here they are:

Compared with the cost of Melbourne at $1.1 billion, the Delhi Games are likely to cost over $1.6 billion excluding the money spent on the city's infrastructure. The 2010 Commonwealth Games are thus going to be most expensive Commonwealth Games ever. Is this massive sum justified for a country with the world's largest population of the poor and an average income of $1,031 per head?

Could this money be better spent for providing the basic needs of the poor people such as education and health? Or sports facilities for Indians with an average of just 26 years and 700 million Indians below 25 years?

Kersi Rustomji, a freelance writer and an author, wrote from Australia, "On moral grounds, such an extravaganza is not at all justified. However, realistically speaking how far would the $1.6 go if distributed among India's poor, or where it is needed in humanitarian areas. Most likely, it will go into the pockets of the unethical, corrupt officials and thugs."

Pratap Kapila, a social commentator from London, asked, "How can the whole country of very clever people and skilled in every field, which we are, tolerate the disparity between the mega wealthy and the extreme poor? Mr Ambani has built the most expensive house in the world where from his penthouse he can see millions of shanties, people living in abject poverty and near starvation. Forget the games, this is the only priority for the country, to build roads without potholes and bridges which are solid. Look a the TV channels of India which are beamed in every home. They give the impression to the world that India is a land of kitsch values, sickening violence and very little beauty of music, classical music and deep philosophy. You need a revolution in many fields for this is no way to run a railroad."

Cyprian Fernandes, a former sports journalist, wrote from Australia, "How many of the poor will the games feed? Will they only enrich the rich? I would have preferred any country to put first its poor, hungry, homeless, education, health etc. India's most important needs are to feed, clothe, educate and care for its millions. India does not need the games, it is purely an exercise in feeding the Indian ego, we are as good as anyone else."

Gayatri Saggar, a freelance writer from New York wrote, "Can such a massive sum be justified? Probably not; nonetheless, sometimes it takes such measures to "setting of the bar" to have an impact on improving the image of sports in India. Still there is not enough visible in the sports arena to justify it, yet hopefully, if the games are successful then it will encourage the society to get involved in improving the image of Indians in sports. If not, it could really set India back. However, more jobs must have been created for the preparation for the games."

The response to the second question was more strident. Do you think that all the charges of massive corruption will be fully investigated and the guilty punished after the Games are over?

Sudershan Gupta, an auditor, from Melbourne, said, "A major part of the total cost (now estimated at nine billion dollars) is corruption. India is and has been losing several billions in corruption in the ordinary course of operations. All is condoned and accepted as a way of life in India. As such, who is going to worry about games cost this time? Commonwealth games may bring a sense of pride amongst Indians and may encourage them to take business and other initiatives that are still lacking. Never will the corrupt Ministers and officials get punished. After games, festival season will start. Or a hidden corruption season will start when in the name of boxes of sweets, boxes of cash will be gifted. All will forget what happened at the (successful?) games."

Fernandes replied, "History provides an answer to that and it is an emphatic 'NO'. How else in a country where corruption is institutionalised and an industry. Can India ever earn international integrity by ridding itself of corruption from the grassroots to the highest pinnacles of Indian society?

Sultan Jessa, a Senior Journalist, from Toronto, moaned, "It is sad that India, which is touted as an emerging force, could not even get this project completed on time."

Gayatri was clear, "As the largest democracy on the planet...there is too much red-tape/bureaucracy and too much corruption...this lends to 'misplaced' funds/lost time/etc....with such a young population...there should be money spent in other areas and with monies also spent on sport facilities. Like any democracy, millions will be spent on investigation after the event, and in the end, due to corruption, after umpteen years nothing will come out of it. Just look at the Union Carbide-Bhopal

case....are you kidding me?!!"

Bobby Malde, a Business Executive, from Nairobi,Kenya, commented, "We, too, are a very corrupt country but the feeling here is that there is bungling inefficiency. Definitely, such massive corruption must be investigated to the core (unless the investigators themselves are corrupt) and the guilty punished but wonder if that would be possible in India."

Rustomji had the last word, "Dear Sir, are you living in Disneyland?!!"

Commonwealth Games Grand Opening Ceremony No Cover Up for Grand Corruption

By: Kul Bhushan

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