The commonwealth games are hovering over the skies of New Delhi like dark storm clouds. With a handful of days for the supposed magnum opus, the capital is shivering with the thoughts of a disastrous performance as hosts. Unfinished stadiums, potholes on roads, poor infrastructure, excessive traffic and the latest addition to the list-heavy rains, are all adding up to the heat of the moment. With such a cut throat schedule up ahead for Delhi, the mudslinging game has already begun.
It all started with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed against the authorities to share all finances and expenditures with the public. After all, the residents of Delhi were paying an eccentric VAT rate and other taxes towards a successful event. It is believed that all the balance sheets were jeopardised and major chunks of finances were gobbled up by the authorities themselves. There are major concerns with the standards of material and equipment used in the construction process. The arena prepared for archery and swimming was inches away from completion when a monsoon downpour tattered the roof.
Major mudslinging started off when the ex-Sports Minister Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyer on a Television News channel stated that he would be overwhelmed if the games are a failure, thus opening a can of worms. He also stated that he wanted to bring about several changes in the process and working during his tenure as the sports minister but was blatantly refused and soon after, thrown away from his portfolio.
As an Indian, it is a matter of shame, that the person who should come up and take the responsibility to help us from facing disgrace is standing on the opposite end, joyfully waiting for the ultimate disaster of the event.
Is this how an ex-sports minister should storm his views? Is this how a person capable of contributing to the games back out? Is this how one should feel for his country?
As an Indian , I feel Mr. Aiyer is not only shying away from his responsibilities but also being extensively immature by stating such hasty remarks.
We all understand that there have been several faults during the process of preparation for the games but we need to be sensible enough to understand our grounds. This, is not the time to play the blame game . It is the time to come together and work unanimously to help our country put up a phenomenal show , exactly the opposite from which the critics are putting their money on. Disgracing India for a poor preparation will only make us the laughing stock for newspapers and television channels worldwide. It is the urgent need to work towards the national interest and be affirmative towards the situation and make us feel proud to be Indians.