Commonwealth Games: India Whining

Gaurav BatlaAssociate Vice President (Global Payments and Cash Management)
HSBC Bank

First things first, I think the games should not have been organised in the first place. There is absolutely no explanation (financial, political, social or otherwise) for India to host CWG or any sort of an international sporting event altogether. Neither am I talking about the delay nor the corruption. Neither the International Shame that has been bestowed upon us by the dog poo in the apartment Nor the falling Foot Over Bridges. I am just asking a simple question about Priorities. Why did we have to organise these Games?

If we are trying to promote a 'sporting' culture and 'healthy living' then can anybody tell me how many Delhiites have actually visited Indira Gandhi, National, Jawahar Lal or any other stadium in the past 10 years? If you want people to take up sports, then build small sports complexes all over the city, where people can play with their families, kids can take tennis/swimming lessons and we may have a healthier/sportier generation to follow.

If we wanted to 'show the world' that we had the caliber to pull off a 'Beijing'. Who are we trying to show off to? The commonwealth nations are British ex-colonies most of which (economics wise) do not have anything to boast of anyways. Only Canada and UK have a GDP higher than us. What would it serve to host events for countries to show off our prowess to, who anyways are struggling for their economic existence? If you have money to spend, then send that money to the African nations where people are fighting AIDS and actually need that money to save those lives.

If we wanted to build better infrastructure for the urban city dwellers, then did we have to organise this 'show off' for 15 days and spend billions earned by the tax payer (especially when majority of tax receipts comes not from the builders/contractors/businessmen who don't file their tax returns but from a freaking salaried guy who gets his salary in his bank account and the Tax is already deducted at source, lest he indulges in any tax evasion)? Why not make things better for THAT guy? As a representative of THAT guy and being an 'urban delhiite', I care more about 15 mins reduction in my travel time to work and back without any traffic jams rather than a freaking stadium eating up energy in those floodlights which will be used for 15 days. When the whole locality is sitting in dark, because THEIR electricity has been provided to that stadium nearby, which they will never be able to even enter if they wanted to.

Let's get real guys. The fact is: we are laggards in almost every sport in the world. The only game we play or are 'really' bothered about is cricket. A game that is played by 10 nations in the world, 5 of them in South Asia where more than 60%(I guess) population lives in rural areas. How many of us would actually know who won the maximum number of golds in last CWG or who is the world champion in Discuss Throw, Shotput, Long Jump, High Jump, Badminton, Archery etc.

There is no shame, but just that we are not bothered about these sports (as of yet). So what do we do? Do we just ignore the people who play these games in India? Absolutely not! But have we organized CWG for THEM or in belief, that people will start participating in these games, once they have seen these sports themselves in stadiums? I don't think so. Give the hockey team players the money that is promised to them, so that the millions of children who were thinking of joining the game, do not turn away thinking 'Khana kahaan se khaunga?' If you actually care about these sports/sports persons then give the bloody money to the sports authorities/bodies for training/coaches/nutrition and build up a redressal mechanism so that you have means to 'know' if the money is actually reaching them.

Also, for all those who are thinking that the delay has been caused due to babugiri or red tapism. Think again. If we sleep for 4 years after the games are allotted to us and start working at the 11th hour, as I see it, I believe its all intentional. The delay was not caused because we are lazy, but because we wanted it to get delayed. Panic infuses a sense of 'Lets just get it done at ANY cost'. When you stop bothering about the price, you just want to get it done. May be that can explain the high prices at which materials/equipment was sourced. But hey, I don't even want to talk about the corruption in this post. Even if you forget the corruption/international shame due to delays etc for one bit, where does it make sense to build these stadiums in the first place.

For the 'urban' types who are singing song of 'Infrastructural Developments' DUE to CWG. I ask this. What if the CWG was not to be organised in Delhi. Would the government waited till the olympics to provide us with the Delhi Metro or the flyovers or better roads or better lighting etc etc. Are these happening only because CWG are being organised in Delhi? If your answer is no, then why organise it? If you are nodding, then its a shameful situation that we need to have an international gaming events and the 'sharam' that tourists will come and see our city as being dirty, so let's clean up and build some roads.

We are a country where 60% population doesn't have proper access to food, electricity, water, irrigation, roads, transport and infrastructure and we decide to spend all of 30,000 Crores on building stadiums and purchasing toilet paper for Rs 4000 per roll... What boost is this money going to give to the rural development in the country. How are these games going to change anything for the farmers/labourers committing suicides everyday? How are these going to do anything for anybody I dont understand?

For those, who are sharing pretty pictures of the 'world class stadiums' built for the CWG because we should concentrate on 'the positive' and rubbish the 'negativity' spread by the Indian media, I have a question. Why the hell media shouldn't? Isn't this what the media is for? Its not a makeup artist who would hide your acne through thick layers of make up. Its their job to show what's hidden? Who would have known of this corruption, if the media hadn't shown? Would the PM had intervened if it was reported that its all 'hunky dory' and India is 'shining'.
For those who have this 'chalo yaar, ho gaya jo hona tha, ab kam se kam duniya ko toh apna gandh na dikhao' attitude and are 'proud' of the fact that we are hosting the games. I think this is why we suffer. If a kid steals and the mom-dad hide him, he will do it again. I hope the 'kids' running our government bodies learn their lesson through this negative publicity and think thousand times before organising olympics in the next 100 years.

http://www.facebook.com/gauravbatla

What the country needs!

Tushar Kohli

A Fellow Jhel-er

What this country needs is a sporting renaissance not a sporting extravaganza which does nothing to alleviate the root cause of public dismay and apathy. Patriotism has long been an alibi for blatant corruption and unabashed loot of taxpayers' money.

I pray with fervour for a mass failure of the so called Games which the country never needed in the first place.

May the mud and slime of embarrassment splash across the face of the incumbent administration and guilty be brought to the book. I am not being a cynic but a realist. Misplaced patriotism romanticises the whole issue and covers up the guilty.

I request others to see things as they really are 8% GDP growth or 5 crore Rehman creation does nothing to fix the plague. Politicians know how to drown the cries of the common folk through the national anthem and most eat from their hands as the bigot media moves on to the next story.

Ii feel rose tinted glasses is the last thing India needs and by the looks of it INDIA seems to wear it every time a national issue gains precedence.

Where are the records of the 1 lakh crore worth of black money which Pranav Mukherjee promised to bring to light? Why do we suffer from amnesia when the country gets raped by goons in khadi. It is not about BJP or Congress or Left or Right wing ideologies.

Its about the system that is rotten beyond repair. The moral fabric of the country is in ruins. I am offering the flip side of the coin expressing my apprehensions through a different perspective without targeting India and my brethren.

China took a decade long sabbatical from international sports to hone its sports infrastructure and the result was its huge golds tally and its podium finish at Beijing. The games and the euphoria around it is a product of the feel good factor gimmick that politicians use to distract the common man when the basic sporting culture is reeling due to bureaucratic bottlenecks and nepotism.

Manipur, Kashmir, Naxalism, Floods, Drought, Hunger and Inflation is what needs immediate attention not pompous celebration of loot by the incorrigibly corrupt.

Though I mean no disrespect to the athletes and all the volunteers and hard working individuals and wish them luck for what they worked for but still I completely condemn the farcical CWG which does nothing to strengthen the sporting DNA of the country but appears to be an appeasing endevour of a govt with misplaced priorities.

It is akin to Mayawati's show of grandeur of maniacal dimensions. Ii pray that may God give insight to the common man, the middle class which bears the brunt of narcissistic agendas everytime middlemen use national pride as their excuse. Remember my brothers 'Patriotism is the last resort of the scoundrels'

As i write this i feel my national pride exit my system like sand through fingers. We need statesmen, real administrators, countless more Shridharans [The Metro Man] to salvage whats left of the nation. I pray that happens sooner than later.

JAI HIND!

Tushar Kohli on facebook

हो गया रंगारंग कार्यक्रम

रंगारंग कार्यक्रम शुरु हो गये हैं.. सारे नेता आज भव्य समारोह देख कर खुश हो गये, कार्यक्रम खत्म होने के बाद अपनी एसी लगी गाडियों मे बैठ कर अपने घर को चले जायेंगे, कुछ और लोग १००० रुपये या इस से ज्यादा की टिकट ले कर रंगारंग कार्यक्रम देखने आये होंगे, वो भी समारोह मी भव्यता देख कर ए.आर.रहमान का गाना गाते घर को चल देंगे. खिलाडी भी अपने अपने टावरो मे सोने चले जायेंगे.. इन सब से दूर एक आम आदमी अपने छोटे किराये के घर मे बैठा या फिर किसी छोटे से कमरे मे बैठा सोच रहा होगा कि अगले १२ दिन तक क्या होगा? आफिस जाने के लिये क्या योजना बनाई जाये कि बॉस की डॉट ना पडे, या देर से पहुंचने के कारण पगार ना कट जाये, उसका ध्यान अपने जीवन के खेल से नही हट पायेगा. १२ दिन बाद वो फिर से अपने दैनिक जीवन की उसी पुरानी व्यथा मे वापस लौट जायेगा जब उसे फिर से ब्लू लाइन की बस मिलनी शुरु हो जायेगी, जब उसे सडक पार करने के लिये कोई पुलिस वाला गरियायेगा नही, जब उसका प्रति दिन का आने जाने का बस का किराया फिर से १० या २० रुपये तक हो जायेगा.. उसे खेल खत्म होने से राहत मिलेगी.. और उधर एक दूसरा वर्ग  अंग्रेजी मे भारत की शान का गुणगान करता नजर आयेगा.. और उस भव्यता मे ही खो जायेगा जो उसे ३ अक्टूबर की शाम को देखने को मिली.

उसे आलू टमाटर के महंगा हो जाने से फर्क नही पडता. उसे बस ना मिलने से भी कोई चिंता नही सताती है, उसके घर का सामान मॉल से आता है.. जहां पहला वाला वर्ग घुसते हुए भी डरता है.
खेलो ने आम आदमी के जीवन मे बहुत बडा हस्तक्षेप किया है, उसके नियमित से जीवन मे बहुत सारे परिवर्तन हो गये हैं, और उसके बाद भी उसके लिये किसी के मन मे कोई संवेदना नही है. लोगो ने उसे दबा कर और उस से वसूल कर इकट्ठा किये पैसो का गुब्बारा उडाया है, कहीं पर पेड पौधे लगा दिये हैं और कहीं पर कांडोम मशीन लगा दी गयी है. आम आदमी अर्थ शास्त्र नही जानता. जब उसकी गली का दुकानदार उसे महंगा सामान देता है और पूछने पर कह्ता है कि पीछे से ही माल महंगा आ रहा है तो वो समझ नही पाता कि आखिर कहां पर आ कर सामान महंगा हो जात है. वो मुद्रा स्फीति , ग्रोथ रेट जैसे शब्द नही समझता. उसे समझने के लिये उसने एक अर्थ शास्त्री को चुन रखा है जिसे प्रधान मंत्री बनाया गया है. लेकिन उसने भी महंगाई से ज्यादा खेलो को पूरा करने के लिये हस्तक्षेप किया.
और जब आम आदमी ने  महंगाई की वजह से बंद किया था तो उसे बहुत सारा डाटा दिखा दिया गया कि उसकी  वजह से देश का कितना नुकसान हुआ, बालको की पढाई पर फर्क पडा, आफिस जाने वाले समय पर आफिस नही पहुंच सके, स्कूलो मे बच्चे नही पहुंच सके, सडक पर हम लोगो ने दंगा किया, पब्लिक प्रोपर्टी का नुकसान किया, जिसने उसका  साथ दिया उसका मजाक उडाया कि वो धूप मे गिर पडा था.. आज उस बात को कुछ महिने बीत गये हैं, जो सब कुछ करने का आरोप उसके ऊपर लगाया गया  पिछले कुछ दिनो मे वो सब सरकारी तंत्र ने किया और निर्लज्जता की सीमा तोड कर किया, और अभी अगले १३ दिन तक और करेगा. आज फिर से सडके बंद हैं फिर से स्कूल बंद हैं, फिर से लोगो को आने जाने के लिये बसे नही मिल रही हैं, फिर से बालको की पढाई का नुकसान हो रहा है, फिर से सरकारी आदमी सडक पर दंगा कर रहे हैं और २००० रुपये वसूल रहे हैं, लोगो को घरो से निकाल कर भगा दिया है लेकिन ये सब करने के बाद भी देश भक्ति का लेमनचूस भी आम आदमी को ही  दिया जा रहा है कि इसे मुंह मे डाल कर चुप चाप इस सरकारी भ्रष्टता को देखो और मुस्कुराओ..
जो प्रबंध कुशलता खेलो के आयोजन मे दिखाई जानी चाहिये थी वो अब विरोध के स्वर को दबाने के लिये दिखाई जा रही है. पहले खेलो के आयोजन का समर्थन पाने के लिये उसे देश भक्ति से जोड दिया गया, और समर्थन ना करने वालो को देश द्रोही जैसे शब्द भी सुना दिये गये. जब उस से काम नही चला तो फिर बेटी की शादी जैसा भावुक शब्द जोड कर समर्थन की आस पाने का प्रयास किया..
मीडिया को भी चकाचौंध से आकर्षित कर लिया गया है, सारे अखबारो ने  सरकारी भौंपू बन कर अपना तानपुरा बजाना शुरु कर दिया है. और पूरा विश्वास है कि अगले १३ दिन तक वो अपने सुरो मे कोई बदलाव नही करेगा.. और ये सभी सडको पर, टीवी पर, समाचारो पर, अखबारो मे हर जगह शोर मचा मचा कर कहेंगे कि भारत ने बहुत बडा काम कर दिया, एक खेल का आयोजन कर लिया. लेकिन झोपडी मे बैठे उस गरीब और मध्यम वर्ग की आवाज उस शोर मे दब कर कहीं दम तोड देगी, उसकी आवाज के साथ उसकी आशायें भी दम तोड देंगी कि कोई उसके साथ है, उसे यही लगता है कि वो अकेला है और दुनिया उस जैसे लोगो कि नही सुनती वो सिर्फ उस से वसूलती है और फिर उसे वसूल कर बडे बडे फंक्शन कराती है जिसको देखने के लिये टिकट लेना उसके बूते से बाहर की बात है. उसे सिर्फ देना है, और सहना है.. इसके अतिरिक्त उसका कोई अधिकार अब नही बचा है..

गेम्स वॉलंटियर की आपबीती

सागर पसरीजा

TOI Photo

टैक्सपेयर्स ऑर प्लेयर्स के बाद अब बारी वॉलंटियर्स के झेलने की है। झूठे वादे कर के बुलाया गया। और लंच तक नहीं दिया जा रहा उन्हें। 30 हजार में से सिर्फ 12000 का पुलिस वेरिफिकेशन हुआ और ड्यूटी असाइन की गई। हजारों वॉलंटियर्स ऑर्गनाइजिंग कमिटी (ओसी) और पुलिस स्टेशन के चक्कर लगा रहे हैं अपनी सेवाएं देने के लिए। ओसी वाले कहते हैं, अपना वेरिफिकेशन खुद कराओ, हम इसमें कुछ नहीं कर सकते। पुलिस कहती है, कि हमारे पास कोई सूचना नहीं है और वेरिफिकेशन के 250 रुपये मांगती है। रीबॉक कंपनी के साथ कॉन्ट्रैक्ट करके 30 हजार यूनिफॉर्म बनवाई गईं, अब 18 हजार बाकी बची वर्दियां कलमाडी खुद पहनेगा शायद।

Taxpayers n player k baad ab VOLUNTEERS ki turn h CW JHELNE KI....jhoothe vaade kr k bulaya gya...n lunch tak nhi provide kr rahe volunteers ko...30,000 me se sirf 12,00 ki police verification hui n duty assign ki gyi..hzaaro volunteers OC n police station k chkkr lga rhe apni services dene k liye...
OC get urself police... verified on ur own..we cant do nythng.. POLICE khti h hmaare pass koi info nhi h..n verify krwane ki Rs 250 fee h.. reebok cmpany k saath contract krke 30,000 uniforms ready krvayi gyi..n ab extra 18,000 uniforms KALMADI khud pahnega shayd...

It's my tax, my money, my CWG

Anupam Shrivastava

Associate Executive Producer, IBN7

Thank God Babri Masjid land dispute verdict is delayed, lets pray that it is pronounced only CWG games now. Any blast or riot after verdict before games can distort our image forever and India will shudder to even think of hosting any international championship for many years.

But we are positive, we are waiting that India should prove her might, we are waiting for opening ceremony anxiously we are even praying to rain god. But we are angry at the same time, angry for letting us down.

Why are we angry? Because, it's my tax, my money, my CWG, my footover bridge, my collapse!

Its my collapse Mr. Kalmadi. Mrs. Dikshit, Mr.Gill.
We are super power in cricket only. Why only criket ? because other than criket the way we treat our ‘other games and other players‘ is clear from the attitude of concerned machinery. Thanks to players like Sania, Saina, Abhinav, Sushil, Marykom, despite all odds, they reached to the top pedestal due to their individual capacity and brilliance. However, the bed of akhil kumar collapsed yesterday but our players are used to such treatment, and it is not a big issue.

If a British or Australian citizen had fallen down the bed and the outcry would have been magnified internationally.Nothing to worry, the standard of Indians and foreigners are different as Mr. Lalit Bhanot would have us belive.

Second thought is could Lalit Modi have handled CWG better. He must made it a extravaganza by outsourcing to the best on commission basis and not like our senior politicians, senior IAS, senior IPS have been doing, having your cake and eating it too. Modi might have faced the charges but IPL was a successful, nevertheless.

The difference between Lalit Modi and politicians is the same as has been succintly explained by M J Akbar in one his articles - he says, CIA  pumps blood into the heart of ruling class.C- CORRUPT, I-INCOMPETENT, A- ARROGANT, but china is way ahead of India because it is run by CPC: CORRUPT, PERVERSE BUT COMPETENT.

Sam Pitroda and Nandan Nilekani are some of the individuals who should have been considered to lead an event of such proportions. And why not Rahul Gandhi, after all his father Rajiv ensured that 82 Asiad went without a hitch and embarrassment to his mother. Considered to be young, sensible, level-headed and pragmatic, Rahul Gandhi should have been the first choice to head the CWG Organising Committee.

Senior politicians and ministers are sitting over all sports federations, its high time they were shunted out. It's time to change the things for better and if we fail this time we will never ever be able to be counted as a sporting nation both literally and figuratively.

CWG authorities have pinned all the blame on untimely incessant rains this time. Their excuse is that the concrete could not solidify because of the downpour. But, the truth is, our attitude to prepare at the last minute works in favour of all who see it as an opportunity to benefit illegally. From Rs. 450 crores to 70,000 crores now. News of Mismanagement of highest order are pouring in like the rains this year. South African High Commissioner H M Majeke said, he is not sure whether his country's team will stay in the Games Village or not. That was after he heard the news of a snake that sneaked into a player's room.

Players wait for buses though 1000 buses have been put on duty to transport them. The effort the ‘thekedar’ puts in cleaning a public property like urinals reeks of the same attitude with which sophisticated Games Village has been contructed.

I am angry because all of the world is mocking us. But I am positive because I am helpless. I am helpless because I have wasted my vote.

Mandal Kamandal have gone now and people are more concern about water logging in front and in society now. We are now becoming a neducated society and people's attitude is changing. We want Babus who plan cities keeping in mind the maximum amount of rainfall it might receive.

Firing on tourists outside Jama Masjid firing days before CWG speaks volumes about the security measures in place. The terrorist fired and were gone in 60 seconds like chain snatchers in Indian bazaars. The best police force of our country didn’t know where was CCTV installed and where the PCR van was. Blame game in this catch -22 situation resulted in nothing but a ghost coming out from pandoras box every time.

So where does the buck stops?

Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

Hard facts

Why this Khel is Jhel

1. The decision to bid in 2003 was not debated/discussed in the Parliament and the Cabinet’s approval was taken ex-post facto. The Prime Minister’s approval was taken under Rule 12 of the Government of India(Transaction and Business)Rules, 1961. The entire process was marked by secrecy and lack of accountability.

2. India offered free accommodation, free air travel (US $10.5 million more than the minimum CGF requirement), free trip to Agra, luxury chauffeur driven cars, a special reserved lane on all major roads, accommodation in five star hotels and a last minute offer of US $7.2 million to be distributed between each Commonwealth member nation to train athletes. We don’t have money to train our own athletes. The fact that this kind of a buy out in unprecedented in the history of the Commonwealth Games.

3. The Government of India and Delhi gave an undertaking to the CGF to underwrite the entire cost of the Games despite the fact that the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure had cautioned against such a commitment.

 4. Rs. 4459.48 crores have been spent on the sports infrastructure for the Commonwealth Games. The initial estimate given by the Indian Olympic Association was only Rs. 150 crore.

5. The total cost of the Games are now estimated at Rs. 70,000 crore. India is a poor country and cannot afford this kind of wastage of precious resources.
• 40 % of the world’s starvation-affected people live in India
• 76% families (840 million) people do not get their daily required calories
• More than 320 million people in India are unable to manage three square meals a day
• More than 5,000 children die every day from malnourishment
• 5.6 crore children either don’t go to school or drop out due to poverty6. The government has completely lost its sense of priorities.
• Amount needed for scheme to set up 6000 ‘model schools’ Rs. 3,385 crore
• Budgetary Allocation for Indira Awas Yojna (2010-11) Rs. 10,000 crore
• Budgetary Allocation for Rajiv Gandhi Awas Yojana (2010-2011) Rs. 1,270 crore
• 2009-10 budget to set up ’model schools’ is Rs. 382 crore
• Budgetary Allocation for ICDS(Integrated Child Development Services) is Rs. 8,700 crore
• The annual budget of Department of Revenue, Government of Delhi for shelter for the homeless is Rs.60 lakhs only and crores are being spent on scaping and beautification of the streets of Delhi. Rs. 24.42 crores are being spent on beautification of Mehrauli Badarpur Road.; Subramania Bharti Marg – Rs. 1.28 crore per kilometer

7. Money allocated for the welfare of Scheduled Castes in the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (Special Component Plan) for Delhi has been diverted to meet expenses of the CWG
8. The fact that the Delhi Government is broke, has no money for the next fiscal year, has no money to pay for phase III of the Metro, all new projects will have to wait; the fact that because of the heavy spending on the Games taxes have been increased, Delhi has become a more expensive city to live in, land prices have increased

 9. Lakhs of slum dwellers have been evicted due to Commonwealth Games projects

 10. Lakhs of vendors have lost their livelihoods due to the Games

 11. Beggars have rounded up and the latest plan is to hide them in parks during the games. The Bombay Prevention of Beggary Act has been ruthlessly used to harass the homeless population and workers.
 12. Construction workers have been subjected to exploitation

 13. A night shelter was destroyed at the Pusa Road roundabout in December 2009 to grow grass as part of the beautification plan for Delhi for the Games

CWG Could Have Been A Grand Brand

Anurag Batra
Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, exchange4media group


Commonwealth Games has been god-sent content for news media. From the time when it was first announced to the follow up on the preparation of the games ---at least to some extent ---and then two months before the games, the entire Indian media has woken up to how CWG is headed from national pride to national shame. Whether it is channels, print or even online, there barely is anyone who hasn’t spoken on all that has gone wrong with the games.

The last fortnight has only been about controversies surrounding the contracts for the games, the investments made, the monies shown right from toilet papers to treadmills ---Indian media has had a field day. But the more I view and read these developments, the more I think about the vicious circle we seem to be caught in.

Photo courtesy: ndtv.com

CWG is often compared with the Olympics that was held in China or even FIFA that was held in Africa. The way China and Africa used the opportunity for nation branding was commendable. China used the Olympic Games for sending a message about China that they can deliver on a global scale. The whole world, at least the part that is interested in football, was talking about destination Africa during FIFA. For starters, CWG stayed only Delhi in its approach, and not India. It may be a format but I wonder did we falter on that first step itself, when we missed the opportunity to showcase and focus on India, and instead just harped on CWG Delhi?

But as the CWG story progressed, that obviously became lesser of an issue. The Indian media, Delhi included has gone after CWG team for various reasons – whether the funds allocated have been misused, whether we will be prepared for the games in time, whether the games will happen at all…? And this is where the viscous circle I mentioned comes in the picture.

The role of Indian media is critical towards what we take of the games from now. Most of the media lambasted the efforts towards the games but in the process, there is global defame that is first associated with India.

There have been multiple spokespersons from CWG. In my opinion, some of them should not even have been allowed to speak. The PR plan for CWG came in much later than what should have been the case, and even in that there were no damage control strategies involved – at least none that could control the situation.

Friends from the industry inform me that the CWG advertising was to have begun almost six months back. Also an amount of Rs 30 crore was the outlay, out of which most of it was allocated for news media in India, then in outdoor and some for presence in international media. The inside and real story is that the money allocated for advertising has been shifted out of media and advertising budget for branding CWG games to someone close to Suresh Kalmadi.
I cannot help but wonder what would have happened if media would have got the promised money. Would the nature of coverage be different? For some media, may be. But what is media’s role in a case like this – where on the one hand there is a national duty, and a service required and on the other hand, there is an international picture to think about.

Who really is losing in all this? I think, India. India’s image is tarnished. The positive aspects of the games, the points that should have been highlighted, the areas that would have helped build a perception – the sportspeople, the preparation of the athletes, the expectation from India, the mascot of the games ‘Shera’ – nothing has seen any media attention. And that hurts – from a brand perspective, and from being an Indian perspective.

I sometimes find myself worrying if people would begin associating Shera with Suresh Kalmadi! And I sincerely hope not.

Is the common man looking forward to the games at all? What are some of the first things, in high impact that he is hearing. I overheard a young kid saying: Commonwealth has become harmful to common health – we should boycott the games. And honestly, I couldn’t be more worried. This is not the message that should have come from a platform like this.

Sponsors and advertisers on the event should worry about things like this. Reportedly, Railways and Hero Honda paid Rs 100 crore and Rs 38 crore for the sponsorship respectively. I wouldgetsleeplessnightsifIwas them simply because nobody is focussing on the games. Events, and events of this scale for sure, are about mass surround and advertising, about building an image. In CWG, the branding is missing completely, and this extreme focus on the negative aspects has killed any positive association with the Games.

I have been reading reports, and hearing stories, on the kinds of monies that agencies are getting from the games. No doubt it has been a huge revenue influx for them, probably better than any major corporate advertiser would have paid some agencies in five years. And I am happy for the agencies. Percept has the PR mandate, Wizcraft is involved in the event, and not to mention the various advertising agencies. But for all the revenue influx, one is not even able to see any work coming from them. The situation has become so warped that it’s unworthy to expect anything else.

India has some of the best branding minds of this world but it was unfortunate to see that there was no team of professionals in place to strategise a way to leverage the opportunity that CWG presented for India. And it is even more unfortunate that media waited for the last two months - whatever their reasons be -to begin asking some questions. If it was earlier, who knows, the story could be different. And like so many other countries, we would be excited about October 2010 as well.

About: Mr. Anurag Batra, CEO & Editor – In – Chief, Exchange4Media -  Anurag Batra is an entrepreneur, media expert and a journalist rolled into one. Batra is a B.Tech in Computer Sciences, a degree, which he acquired before joining Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon. He is a serial entrepreneur and currently the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of exchange4media group which includes exchange4media.com, India’s leading media industry website and Publisher of PITCH- India’s only Advertising, Marketing and Media magazine, Impact the marketing weekly, Franchise Plus-India’s Business Opportunity Magazine and Realty Plus-India’s leading monthly real estate magazine.  He has a multi industry experience having worked with India‘s largest advertising and media services firm HTA (now JWT and Mindshare) and in the Real Estate and Entertainment industry.

Anurag Batra, as a professional has been profiled by Business India and has been written about in Indian newspapers like Economic Times, TOI, HT, Business Standard, and Financial Express. International publications like Business Week have also sought his and his company’s viewpoint on issues impacting Indian media industry. A regular speaker at national conferences and various industry panel discussions, Batra has been part of many industry bodies in the past.

Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

Salim Wins the First Commonwealth Games 2010 Gold

Harshit Bhardwaj

TOI Photo

What does Salim think about the Commonwealth Games after a long day toiling around old Delhi for earning minimum wages? He was supposed to benefit from the Games but instead his life was put at risk. CWG 2010 was given a lifeline by a non-descript slum-dwelling rickshaw puller named Salim. Irony of ironies- CWG actually went a long way to dislodge thousands like him out of Delhi and a Salim actually comes and saves CWG from sinking further into chaos and panic. Armed with a roadside brick, Salim scared away gun wielding miscreants out of the holy Jama Masjid area while a constable busily counted dropped cartridges.

Salim wins my nomination for the first CWG 2010 gold because he so truly encompassed the original spirit of the Commonwealth, where, representing an ex-colony (India) of British Empire he displayed exemplary spirit and courage to save the Masters (I know the victims were Taiwanese, but they could very easily be Britons or Australians). Those who know the CWG were originally named The British Empire Games would understand this better.

Some of the points to ponder from this incident-

• One of the busiest and most-sensitive area of New-Delhi ( Jama Masjid) was rescued by an unarmed rickshaw puller. What does this say about Delhi police? What do they have to show for security arrangements despite 2006 incidents?

• 

  

  Harshit Bhardwaj

  Only single police personnel to be found on the spot- he, too, was unarmed and unprepared. He couldn’t even note down the bike’s registration details. Maybe pen is also a luxury Delhi Police can’t afford.

• 
  
  With expenditure running in thousands of crores why they still need ‘warning shots’ to prepare contingency plans? Have they heard of ‘mock drills’?

Isn’t the tale of Salim the ‘Braveheart,’ a metaphor for a common Indian’s plight - acting out of instincts to risk his life for national pride; angry at all the corrupt politicians and soon forgetting because after all he can’t do anything; prepared even to forgive the CWG culprits for the sake of saving India’s ‘face’; and when a Salim lies dead of a terrorist’s bullet he dies not as a hero but as an accident the kind of which happens every hour on the landscape of democratic India.

Gold to Salim! Please.

P.S. Salim is the only bread earner for his family of four. His ailing wife is suffering from severe tuberculosis (since India – the next superpower believes in spending less on health and more on Games). No material reward has come Salim’s way for his daring act. While Kalmadi and Shiela revel in the mega-thrift event call the Commonwealth Games, common men like Salim are doomed forever!

Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

We have to have zero tolerance - Anurag Batra

Anurag Batra

Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, exchange4media group

Photo courtesy: ndtv.com

'We should be worried about corruption in all walks of life. CWG could only be an extension of it. All bureaucrats have to be sensitive to this. We have to have zero tolerance. We as a society and nation should incentivise honesty and corruption free workings.'

About: Mr. Anurag Batra, CEO & Editor – In – Chief, Exchange4Media -  Anurag Batra is an entrepreneur, media expert and a journalist rolled into one. Batra is a B.Tech in Computer Sciences, a degree, which he acquired before joining Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon. He is a serial entrepreneur and currently the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of exchange4media group which includes exchange4media.com, India’s leading media industry website and Publisher of PITCH- India’s only Advertising, Marketing and Media magazine, Impact the marketing weekly, Franchise Plus-India’s Business Opportunity Magazine and Realty Plus-India’s leading monthly real estate magazine.  He has a multi industry experience having worked with India‘s largest advertising and media services firm HTA (now JWT and Mindshare) and in the Real Estate and Entertainment industry.

Anurag Batra, as a professional has been profiled by Business India and has been written about in Indian newspapers like Economic Times, TOI, HT, Business Standard, and Financial Express. International publications like Business Week have also sought his and his company’s viewpoint on issues impacting Indian media industry. A regular speaker at national conferences and various industry panel discussions, Batra has been part of many industry bodies in the past.

Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

Every Indian is disappointed - Shekhar Kapur

Shekhar Kapur
Filmmaker

Feeling disappointed about the lack of preparation he says, 'I just hope that the games do well, but every Indian is disappointed. I'm depressed with the state of affairs. But I still hope in my heart that everything goes well for us. As far as I am concerned, I am not attending the event, as I would be shooting out of the country.'

(As told to Hindustan Times)

About: Shekhar Kapur (born 6 December 1945) is an Indian film director and producer. He is a critically acclaimed director, rose to popularity with the movie, Bandit Queen. He was nominated for Academy awards for Elizabeth and its sequel Elizabeth: The Golden Age.
Kapur started his career working with a multi-national oil company. He moved to Great Britain in 1970, and spent several years working as an accountant and management consultant. He turned director with the portrayal of an illegitimate son gaining family acceptance in Masoom (1983). He then directed the 1987 science-fiction film Mr India which was one of the most successful films of the 1980s. In 1994 he directed the critically acclaimed Bandit Queen.

In 1998, he got international recognition for directing the Academy Award-winning period film Elizabeth. The film was a fictional account of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I; the 1998 movie was nominated for 7 Oscars and the sequel has been nominated for 2 Oscars. He was accused of being anti-British by British tabloids, for the way he portrayed the British Army and the Empire in the 2002 movie The Four Feathers. This was heightened by the fact that during an interview for the DVD release of the Four Feathers, he spoke favorably of the fanatical religious leader depicted in the film (the Mahdi). He directed a sequel to Elizabeth titled Elizabeth: The Golden Age in 2007 which was also nominated for Academy awards. He was part of the jury at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival in May 2010.

Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

इज्ज़त बचाने का ऐक्शन प्लान!

नीरज बधवार

व्यंग्यकार

राष्ट्रमंडल खेलों से ठीक पहले अधूरे और घटिया निर्माण की शिकायतों, बेहिसाब फर्जीवाड़ों  और आरोप-प्रत्यारोप के अंतहीन मैच के बीच आम आदमी ये सोच परेशान है कि कहीं ये खेल देश की बेइज्ज़ती का सबब न बन जाएं। जिन खेलों को हमने अपनी ताकत दिखाने के लिए आयोजित कर रहे हैं, वो हमारी मक्कारी और नक्कारेपन को ज़ाहिर न कर दें। आम आदमी के नाते मैं भी इन सब बातों से बेहद परेशान हूं। मेरा मानना है कि आपस में तो हम कभी भी लड़-मर सकते हैं मगर अभी वक़्त ये सोचने का है कि काफी हद तक लुट चुकने के बावजूद, जो बची-खुची इज्ज़त है उसे कैसे बचाया जाए। लिहाज़ा, आयोजन समिति और सरकार को मैं कुछ सुझाव देना चाहूंगा। उम्मीद है कि वो इन पर अमल करेंगे।

1. सबसे पहला काम तो सरकार ये करे कि भ्रष्टाचार से जुड़ी तमाम शिकायतों को दबा दे। आयोजकों के खिलाफ की जा रही किसी भी जांच को रोका जाए। जैसे-तैसे ये साबित किया जाए कि आयोजकों ने कहीं कोई पैसा नहीं खाया। जिस तरह एक कुशल गृहिणी दो सौ की चीज़ के लिए पति से तीन सौ रूपये लेती हैं और सौ रूपये मुसीबत के लिए बचाकर रखती है, कुछ ऐसा ही खेल आयोजकों ने भी किया है। दरअसल ये जानते थे कि राष्ट्रमंडल खेलों के सफल आयोजन के बाद हम ओलंपिक भी आयोजित करेंगे। इसी को देखते हुए इन्होंने कॉमनवेल्थ की खरीदारी में ही इतना पैसा बचा लिया है कि वो उसी से ओलंपिक का खर्च भी निकाल सकते हैं। नाम न बताने की शर्त पर एक अधिकारी ने बताया कि हम लोगों ने इतना-इतना पैसा बचा लिया है कि हर वरिष्ठ अधिकारी एक निजी कॉमनवेल्थ खेल आयोजित कर सकता है। लिहाज़ा, इन्हें भ्रष्ट साबित करने के बजाए इनकी मैनेजमेंट स्किल को दुनिया के सामने लाना चाहिए।
2. कुछ लोगों का कहना है कि खेलों के दौरान खिलाड़ियों को साफ पानी पिलाने के लिए भले ही हमने अलग से वॉटर ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट लगा दिया हो, दूसरे राज्यों से अतिरिक्त बिजली खरीद ली हो, सुंदर लो-फ्लोर बसें सड़कों पर उतार दी हों मगर तब क्या होगा जब यही खिलाड़ी खेलों के दौरान अख़बारों में दूषित पानी से बच्चों के बीमार पड़ने की ख़बर पढेंगे। तब इन्हें कैसा लगेगा जब बिजली कटौती से नाराज़ लोगों को सड़कों पर तोड़फोड़ करते देखेंगे, और तमाम बेहतरीन लो-फ्लोर बसों के बावजूद, पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट को लेकर वो क्या छवि बनाएंगे, जब वो पढ़ेंगे कि क्षमता से अधिक लोगों को ले जारी एक नाव नदी में डूब गई!  अगर सरकार चाहती है कि खुद को विकसित और सभ्य दिखाने की उसकी कोशिशों पर पानी न फिरें और बच्चों के दूषित पानी से बीमार पड़ने की बात इन लोगों तक न पहुंचे तो उसे खेलों के दौरान ऐसी किसी भी नकारात्मक ख़बर के प्रकाशन-प्रसारण पर रोक लगा देनी चाहिए। तभी वो पानी-पानी होने से बच पाएगी।

3. हाल-फिलहाल ये देखा गया है कि ऑस्ट्रेलिया और इंग्लैंड जैसी क्रिकेट टीमें जब भी भारत से कोई सीरीज़ हार कर जाती हैं तो व्यवस्था में खामिया निकालने लगती हैं। मसलन गर्मी बहुत थी, खाना अच्छा नहीं था, विकेट घटिया थे आदि-आदि। इसे देखते  सरकार को तमाम खिलाड़ियों को हिदायत देनी चाहिए कि वो किसी भी इवेंट में अच्छा प्रदर्शन करने की हिमाकत न करें। सभ्य मेज़बान का ये फर्ज़ है कि वो कुछ भी ऐसा न करें जिससे मेहमान नाराज़ हो जाएं। होगा ये कि हार का गुस्सा विदेशी खिलाड़ी यहां की व्यवस्था पर निकालने लगेंगे। अपने खिलाड़ियों का घटिया प्रदर्शन तो हम फिर भी बर्दाश्त कर लेंगे, और करते भी आएं हैं, मगर कोई हमारे इंतज़ाम को बुरा कहे, ये हमें बर्दाश्त नहीं। वैसे भी हमारे लिए स्पोर्ट्स सुपरपॉवर बनने का मतलब बड़ी प्रतियोगिताओं का आयोजन करवाना है, न कि खिलाड़ियों का परफॉर्मेंस सुधारना!

4. आख़िर में एक सलाह इमेरजंसी के लिए। आख़िरी दिनो में अगर हमें लगे कि स्टेडियम और बाकी निर्माण कार्य अब भी पूरे नहीं हुए हैं तो उस स्थिति में खेल नहीं हो पाएंगे, हुए भी तो भद्द पिटेगी... ऐसे में हमें खुद किसी खाली स्टेडियम में दो-चार सुतली बम फोड़ देने चाहिए। इसके बाद दुनिया भर में हल्ला होगा। तमाम जगह से खिलाड़ियों के नाम वापिस लेने की ख़बरें आने लगेंगी। कॉमनवेल्थ समिति सुरक्षा कारणों से भारत से मेज़बानी छीन लेगी। भारत की बजाए किसी और देश में खेल करवाए जाएंगे। वैसे भी सुरक्षा इतंज़ामों के चलते आयोजन न कर पाने की बदनामी, घटिया आयोजन कर भद्द पिटवाने से कहीं छोटी है!


Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

CWG - Mixing cement in sand - Rajesh Kalra

Rajesh Kalra
Chief Editor, Times Internet Ltd.

Long ago, in the cult film 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron', a builder chides his junior officer when he complains there isn't enough cement. He chuckles and advises him "so far you have been mixing sand in cement, now start mixing cement in sand. Your problem is solved". We all laughed at it then for it was just a joke. Little did we know that a quarter of a century later that will turn into reality, that too for Games projects which are supposed to showcase us as having arrived at the world stage.

Would you feel safe entering an arena that is built on unsafe foundation? Would you pay to endanger your life? I don't think so. Why just the sports arena, even the other civil work done in the city seems to have been done using substandard material. On Delhi's VVIP Akbar road, a brand new streetlight pole came crashing down, snapped in the middle. Now, every time I drive on that road, I am apprehensive. Similarly, major portions of the brand-new six-lane road that leads to the CRPF shooting range in Gurgaon, where some events will be held, has been washed away after a few hours of sustained rains. The response to all such mess is that it would be set right. Sure! But at what cost? Who is paying for it?

About: Rajesh Kalra is the Chief Editor of Times internet, the digital arm of the Times group that handles www.timesofindia.com;www.economictimes.com;www.navbharattimes.com;www.ethindi.com;www.etgujarati.com;www.maharashtratimes.com etc. A journalist for two decades, he also tried his hands at entrepreneurship in between. Although he has written on several subjects, he has a weakness for IT and telecommunications. He is an avid sportsman, a trained high-altitude mountaineer and a marathoner.

You can read his blogs here and follow him on twitter as well.

Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

सभी भुक्खड़ टूट पड़े हैं

इरफान खान
कार्टूनिस्ट

कॉमनवेल्थ गेम्स से देश की पूरी दुनिया में बदनामी हो रही है। दरअसल, ये सरकार के लिए खाओ-पियो गेम्स हैं, जिसमें सभी लोग भरपूर करप्शन कर रहे हैं। ऐसा लग रहा है कि सभी भूखे टूट पड़े हैं, जिसके हाथ जो लग रहा है, वही लूटे जा रहा है। तीस रुपए की चीज तीन हजार में खरीदी जा रही है... गेम्स से जुड़े सभी अधिकारी-कर्मचारी एक ही थैली के चट्टे-बट्टे हैं, इसलिए सब लूटने में जुटे हुए हैं।

About: Irfan Khan is an well-known editorial cartoonist, based in New Delhi, India. Has worked as staff cartoonist with Navbahrat Times,The Economic Times,The Financial Express,The Asian Age and conributed for TIME magazine's chief cartoonist Ranon R. Lurie's Cartoon News and Far Eastern Economic Reveiw of Hong Kong One of the Best cartoonists of Asia from Japan Foundation and represented India in Tokyo in 2005 in Japan. He was sentenced by Delhi High Court for 4 months for making a cartoon on formar Chief Justice of India in 2007. Daily pocket cartoon DARASAL comes in JANSATTA daily of India Express Group and Lokmat Samachar in Nagpur.

http://cartoonistirfan.blogspot.com/

Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

CWG symbol of whats wrong with our country - Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Rajeev Chandrasekhar
MP, Rajya Sabha and well-known entrepreneur

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

CWG should have been an opportunity for our young sportsmen/women to showcase their talents in a country that hardly spends anytime or money on non-cricketing sports heroes - instead CWG has become a symbol of whats wrong with our country - rampant corruption, interference by politicians in sports administration, and inability of the govt to execute and implement anything without overruns and corruption!

About: Rajeev Chandrasekhar, 45, Member of Parliament in the Upper house of Indian parliament (Rajya Sabha), represents Karnataka state and Bangalore Urban district.
He was also the youngest President of FICCI (FICCI is India's largest and oldest chamber of commerce). Being an Independent MP, Rajeev maintains close contact across political lines and provides an Insider View of Indian Democracy through his blog http://www.rajeev.in/blog
His accomplishments include being a CPU Architect in the Intel Pentium design team and was one of the members of the team that designed the architecture of the then path breaking micro processor, founding BPL Mobile in India, and currently runs Jupiter Capital, a venture development, management and investment company focusing on infrastructure, Aviation, Entertainment and Technology ventures.

Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

गेम्स से खराब हो रही है हमारी इमेज

नवजोत सिंह सिद्धू
बीजेपी सांसद और पूर्व क्रिकेटर

देश के प्राइड की बात करने वाली यह सरकार पहले इस बारे में सोचे कि कॉमनवेल्थ कंट्रोवर्सी से दुनिया भर में भारत की इमेज कितनी खराब हो रही है। करप्शन से सराबोर कॉमनवेल्थ गेम्स से हमारी कौन सी प्रतिष्ठा बनेगी? बदइंतजामी, अव्यवस्था और लूट-खसोट वाले ये गेम्स हमारा कौन सा वैभव बढ़ाएंगे? इन गेम्स से फिलहाल तो दुनियाभर में भारत में हो रहे करप्शन की बदनामी ही फैल रही है।

About: Navjot Singh Sidhu is former Indian batsman. After retirement from cricket Navjot Singh Sidhu took up television commentary, political career and films. Sidhu was elected to the Lok Sabha as the member from Amritsar in 2004 on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket; he later resigned, following his conviction for culpable homicide. After the Supreme Court stayed his conviction, he successfully contested the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat.
Sidhu started his career as a commentator for NIMBUS when India toured Sri Lanka in 2001. He however later became a commentator with ESPN-Star. He became famous for his funny quotes, which have come to be known as Sidhuisms. He also regularly appears as a "cricket analyst" on various local Indian channels. Of late he also figured as a judge on a television program - "The Great Indian Laughter Challenge".

Sidhu won on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket from the Amritsar seat in the Indian general elections, 2004. Later he recontested on Bharatiya Janata Party ticket from Amritsar and won handsomely. He again re-elected himself from same constituency in 2009 general elections. He is being groomed for a longer innings in Indian politics and his mentor is a noted lawyer and politician Arun Jaitley.

Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

नहीं मिलेगी लूट की छूट

मुख्तार अब्बास नकवी
वरिष्ठ बीजेपी नेता

हम गेम्स का विरोध कतई नहीं कर रहे हैं। गेम्स में अड़ंगा डालना हम नहीं चाहते हैं, गेम्स तो होने ही चाहिए। लेकिन गेम्स के नाम पर लूट को 20 दिन और छूट बिल्कुल स्वीकार्य नहीं है। दिल्ली सरकार के साथ शहरी विकास मंत्री जयपाल रेड्डी भी इन अव्यवस्थाओं के लिए सीधे तौर पर दोषी हैं। गेम्स हो जाने के बाद सरकार कुछ नहीं करेगी। भोपाल गैस त्रासदी और आईपीएल हो जाने के बाद क्या दोषियों को कोई कड़ी सजा मिली?

About: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is a former Union minister and a Bharatiya Janata Party leader. Born in Allahabad in 15 Oct 1957 he studied law and arts at Allahabad University, while Collage time he was President of Student Union Government Intermediate College Allahabad.
In 1998 he was appointed Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting with additional charge of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. He is currently the national Vice President of Bharatiya Janata Party . He is one of the most prominent Muslim faces within the BJP. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. He has written 2 books - "Syah" in 1991 and "Danga" in 1998. He has visited U.A.E., North Korea, Mauritius, Hong Kong, China, Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Thailand.

Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

A zero return game for India - Joginder Singh

Joginder Singh

Joginder Singh, Ex-Chief, CBI

If a cut on Commonwealth Games, is coming from cutting wastage and corruption, it is good. Unfortunately, it it coming from cutting services, as a part of the money for SC/ST was diverted, as well as education, infrastructure and social services, it obviously means that the government is not performing its functions and spending money on Commonwealth Games is nothing but a skewed priority. A poor country where 420 million poor live has no busines to waste its resources on something, which has a zero return for the common man and the poorest of the poor Indians.

About: The 1961 batch IPS officer from the Karnataka cadre was hand-picked by then United Front prime minister H D Deve Gowda to head the CBI. Because of its intensely political overtones, CBI has been exposed Joginder Singh who was Director of the organisation, to be engaging in nepotism, mal-prosecution and outright corruption.

Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

अभी करो बेईमानी की बात

डॉ. सुब्रमण्यम स्वामी

कॉमनवेल्थ गेम के बारे में यह कहा जाना कि, यह देश के लिए गर्व की बात है, इसलिए पहले गेम हो जाने चाहिए फिर करप्शन पर बात करेंगे, बिल्कुल भी न्यायसंगत नहीं है। गेम होने के बाद यह सरकार गेम की सफलता से लेकर उपलब्धियों तक के गुणगान में जुटकर अपने मुंह मिया मिट्ठू बनेगी। करप्शन पर बात अभी ही होनी चाहिए। करप्शन के लिए बाद की डेडलाइन तय करना बिल्कुल भी सही नहीं है।

About: Dr. Subramanian Swamy is a politician and a trained economist. He was Professor of Economics at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi from 1969. He is regarded as a proponent of Hindutva. He first came into spotlight for protesting against the emergency imposed in 1975. He was one of the founding members of the Janata Party and is its president since 1990. He was elected member of parliament 5 times between 1974 and 1999. He has twice represented the city of Mumbai North East during 1977 and 1980, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the Parliament.

He has been a bitter critic of Ms. Sonia Gandhi, the foreign-born President of the Indian National Congress and his Janata Party’s web site www.janataparty. org has an article titled “Do You Know Your Sonia?, an article with a lot of facts about Ms.Sonia. Surprisingly, Sonia never dared to challenge Dr.Swamy in court. An attempt made by Sonia and her supporters in the US courts backfired on Sonia and the cases filed against some Americian Indian who had made charges against Sonia based on the facts provided by Dr Swamy was dismissed by the US courts.

He has played an important role in fighting for the cause of preventing the destruction of Rama Sethu bridge. He moved the Supreme Court of India and successfully obtained a stay for the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project at the final hours on August 31, 2007. The case is under hearing before the Supreme Court.
 
Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

Commonwealth jhel, what went wrong..

As said by Mr. Azim Prem ji - Presently India has many other problem to tackle other than organizing such a big and expensive sport event. If that much money was spend for poor and up-gradation of rural India. Then its help India more rather than common wealth.

In my opinion the amount that has been spent for commonwealth games preparation. If its 10 % was spend over the sports person then. The value of commonwealth games will be more. One more thing if this type of big event has to be organized then a proper committee should be given a time based target failing which tender should be given to other company.

My suggestion on this topic is if this type of event be organized in rural India.. or some rural part of India where infrastructure is needed more than metropolitan like Delhi, it is not only beneficial but also gives opportunity to government to uplift the poor and needy.

I am not against commonwealth games nor criticizing any body but as a responsible person , I just want to draw attention of our government that next time if this type of event will take place then they will be more prepared and take a thoughtful decision.

Thanking you!!!

Ankur Srivastava

नेता का सरकारी झपट्टा..

एक नेता बहुत ही परेशान था, उसके साथ के कई नेता चारा, सडक, डामर, पनडुब्बी, तोप, प्रोविडेंड फंड, रिश्वत खा कर, और ईमान, धर्म, देश, न्याय, सुरक्षा बेच कर बहुत मोटे हो गये थे. नेता चूंकि खेल संघ का अध्यक्ष भी था लेकिन फिर भी कुछ नही कर पा रहा था क्यों कि जो कमाई चारा, डामर, पनडुब्बी, तोपो मे थी वो कमाई खेलो मे नही हो पाती थी. लेकिन नेता जी अंदर से बहुत घाघ थे, वो जानते थे कि अभी ना सही कभी तो रजिया गुंडो मे फंसेगी. सो एक दिन उसे पता चला कि पुराने गुलाम देशो का एक संगठन है और उसके लिये खेलो का आयोजन होना है. तुरंत ही कार्र्वाई करते हुए उसने एक बजट बनाया और उसमे बताया की मामूली से खर्चे मे देश को बहुत सम्मान मिलेगा. अन्तर्राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर देश के नाम कि दुंदुभी बजेगी. नेता के प्रोपोजल पर खेलो के आयोजन के लिये सहमति व्यक्त कर दी गयी. नेता समझ गया कि बस अब यही मौका है, रजिया गुंडो की ओर आने लगी है. फंसा तो मै लूंगा ही. तो नेता ने योजना तैयार करनी शुरु कर दी. खेलो की तैयारी के लिये ७ साल का समय था. नेता के लिये ये जरूरी था कि खेलो के होने तक उसकी कुर्सी की ओर कोई आंख ना उठाये. और ये भी आवश्यक था कि काम हो या न हो लेकिन दिखना जरूर चाहिये. तो राजधानी मे तैयारियां शुरु हो गयी. ५ साल बीत गये, राजधानी मे कुछ भी नही बदला. एक दिन जनता को अचानक पता चला कि दो साल बाद राजधानी मे खेल होने वाले हैं. लेकिन तैयारी कुछ नही है. नेता ने सरकार को झिंझोड दिया और कुछ अपने जैसे नेताओ को साईड मे ले जा कर कान मे कुछ कहा. वो नेता भी सकते मे दिखे. कुछ दिन और बीत गये, एक दिन राजाज्ञा निकली कि लोगो पर एक अतिरिक्त कर लगाया जायेगा क्यों कि खेल होने हैं, जनता की समझ मे नही आया, लेकिन जनता ने कुछ नही कहा, उसने चुपचाप अतिरिक्त कर का बोझ अपने सर पर ले लिया. एक दिन लोग सुबह उठे तो देखा बडी बडी मशीने सडको को खोद रही हैं, खेलो की जगह तैयारियां चल रही थी, स्टेडियम बनाये जा रहे थे, पुल बनाये जा रहे थे. लोग बडे परेशान थे, कोई आफिस को देर से जा पा रहा था और कोई घर देर से आ पा रहा था. जब लोगो ने शिकायत की तो उनको कहा कि ये सब प्रगति के लिये है, और उनको सहयोग देना चाहिये. लोग नेता की बातो मे आ गये, उनको देश की प्रगति दिखाई दी. नेता को भी प्रगति दिखायी दे रही थी लेकिन कुछ जल्दबाजी मे नेता से कुछ गलतियां हो गई, नेता ने कुछ लोगो की प्रगति की ओर ध्यान नही दिया जिसके कारण वो लोग नेता से नाराज हो गये. और जनता को नेता की चतुरता का पता चल गया. नेता की पार्टी के बडे अधिकारी बडे परेशान थे कि क्या किया जाये, उन्होने एक उपाय निकाला, कुछ लोगो को बर्खास्त कर दिया गया और ज्यादा बडे नेता को आगे कर दिया, जिसने तुरंत ही अपने रिमोट कंट्रोल मे आये सिग्नल को देख कर कहा कि किसी को नही छोडा जायेगा, लेकिन खेल हो जाने दो, एक दूसरे नेता ने कहा कि अगर कोई खेल को नही देखेगा तो वो देश द्रोही होगा. जनता ने जब ये सुना तो समझ नही सकी, क्यों कि वो पिछले ७ सालो से वैसे ही काम करती चली आ रही थी जैसे वो उसके पहले के ६० सालो से कर रही थी. उसे समझ नही आया कि वो देश द्रोही क्यों है. जनता ने तो पैसे समय पर दे दिये थे, समस्या भी बिना शिकायत किये झेल ली थी, अब ये खेलो को क्यों झेले..?
उस देश मे कुछ लोग भावुक थे, उनसे चुप नही रहा गया, उन्होने नेता और घोटाले के खिलाफ कमर कस ली और खेलो को झेलने से मना कर दिया. स्वर बढने लगे, लोग जुडने लगे, नेता और परेशान हो गया. उसे समझ नही आया तो उसने फिर से अपना ब्रह्मास्त्र निकाला और कहा कि देश के सम्मान के लिये खेलो को सफल बनाओ. जनता पशोपेश मे है कि नेता कि पोल खोले या फिर देश को देखे. नेता देश का सम्मान गिरवी रख चुका है और जनता से आह्वान कर रहा है कि उस गिरवी रखे सम्मान को बचा ले. जनता भोली है, वो उलझन मे है कि क्या करे. लेकिन नेता और उसकी प्रजाति ने पिछ्ले कई सालो से जनता को लूटा है, नेता को कैसे छोड दिया जाये? खेल तो हो चुका है, नेता उसका स्वर्ण पदक भी जीत चुका है.? जनता भी देख चुकी है कि नेता जैसा खिलाडी कोई नही है.? तो फिर अब किसे देखने जायें..?
और वो नेता जो पदक झपट कर भाग चुका है उसे कैसे पकड कर वापस लाया जाये.. ये नेता का सरकारी झपट्टा है, नेता इतनी आसानी से हाथ नही आयेगा. जनता जानती है.
लेकिन इस बार नेता को नही भागने देना है, इस खेल के नियमो को बदलना होगा, इस खेल के स्थान को बदलना होगा, इस खेल के निर्णायको को बदलना होगा. और इस खेल के परिणाम को बदलना होगा..
आप सभी लोगो का सहयोग अपेक्षित है.. कृपया इस नेता को और उसके ऐसे खेलो को बंद करने कि मुहिम मे साथ दीजिये.. इस मुहिम मे साथी बनने के लिये फेसबुक मे कामनवेल्थ झेल को सब्सक्राईब करें..
आपके साथ की अपेक्षा मे..
किशोर बडथ्वाल.

कामन वेल्थ झेल का थीम सॉन्ग

(कृपया धुन के लिये प्रदीप जी का लिखा प्रसिद्ध गीत “आओ बच्चो तुम्हे दिखाये, झांकी हिन्दुस्तान की, इस मिट्टी से तिलक करो, ये धरती है बलिदान की” पर निम्न पन्क्तियों को समायोजित करने का प्रयास करें…)

आओ तुमको कथा सुनाये, नेता जी के चमत्कार की
खेल खेल में पैसा झपटा, लोगो ने हाहाकार की

टैक्स भी ले लिया…. काम भी नहीं किया

टैक्स भी ले लिया…. काम भी नहीं किया



ये देखो इस सडक का गड्ढा, पहले थोडा हल्का था

पानी तो भर जाता था, पर फिर भी ट्रैफिक चलता था

साईड का खंबा टेढा था, पर बल्ब भी थोडा जलता था

सडक खोद दी, बल्ब फोड दिया, चलने वाला डरता था

सारे गड्ढे सडक हो गये, माया है झोलम झाल की

खेल खेल मे पैसा झपटा, लोगों ने हाहाकार की

बल्ब भी खा गया, खंबा भी खा गया

बल्ब भी खा गया, खंबा भी खा गया

ये देखो इस पुल पर पहले, गाडी ठीक से जाती थी

हिचकोले से खाती थी, और गिरते पड़ते जाती थी

कलेजा मुंह को आता था, और जान पर बन आती थी

ना जाने क्यों अक्सर फिर, जुर्माना पर्ची कट जाती थी

अब तो पैदल जाता हूं मैं, जय हो जाम महान की

खेल खेल में पैसा झपटा, लोगों ने हाहाकार की

पुल भी बंद हुआ, और रोड भी बंद हुआ

पुल भी बंद हुआ, और रोड भी बंद हुआ



ये देखो एक ट्रैक बड़ा सा, साइकल के लिये बनाया था

अड्वेंचर सा लगे इसलिये, थोडा कम घिसवाया था

साइकल बढ़िया चले इसलिये, ट्रैफिक को रुकवाया था

पहले दिन जब चली साइकले, लोगो को बुलवाया था

एक अस्पताल, दो गड्ढे में, जय हो ट्रैक की शान की

खेल खेल में पैसा झपटा, लोगों ने हाहाकार की

लोगों का क्या करना, मेरा ट्रैक तो टेस्ट हुआ

लोगों का क्या करना, मेरा ट्रैक तो टेस्ट हुआ



ये देखो एक मशीन प्यारी, खेलों के लिये लगाई है

केवल बालिग खेले इसको, गजब खेल खिलाई है

अतिथियों के लिये एस्कार्ट्, बाहर से मंगवाई है

“यूज” करें प्लीज आप इसको, बातें भी सिखाई हैं

इन खेलो का नाम ना लेना, बातें हैं ये ज्ञान की

खेल खेल में पैसा झपटा, लोगों ने हाहाकार की

मूसली पावर दम.. पहलवान हैं हम

मूसली पावर दम.. पहलवान हैं हम



चोट लगे जो खेलो में तो, हम सिकाई करवायेंगे.

ढाई हजार की मशीन को हम, चार लाख में लाएंगे

इस्तेमाल वो हो ना हो हम, लाभ तो बतलाएंगे

कुछ तो हमको खाने दो, हम कामन वेल्थ कराएंगे

बाकि सब पर ध्यान न दो, लाज रखो देश सम्मान की

खेल खेल में पैसा झपटा, लोगों ने हाहाकार की

खा गये देश का धन… खा गये देश का धन।

खा गये देश का धन… खा गये देश का धन.
 
किशोर बड्थवाल
आईटी हेड, मदर टेरेसा इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ मैनेजमेंट 
Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here

CWG, From Why to What? - Rudra Sharma

“You see the coefficient of the linear is juxtaposition of the haemoglobin of the atmospheric pressure in the country”, so said Anthony Gonsalves in Amar Akbar Anthony. Now try and make sense of it. Atleast try. You won’t. You can’t. For more than 30 years we danced to the tune of this lyrical cannibalism without thinking much. The Pied-piper who made us leap into the pit of fantastical alienation from logic and reason was none other than the ‘grand angry young man’ of 70’s.

Now cut back to circa 2010. Though no anthropological linkage between the two, yet the ridiculous words of Anthony Gonsalves resonate with another pied-piper of our times. Bad times. Suresh Kalmadi, the not so angry ‘grand old man of India’s sporting shame’. But we are angry. After waiting for seven years, hopping over hundreds of ditches and digesting tonnes of dust all we get to hear is this. Switzerland based EKS and an Australian company SMAM having links with Mauritius based WSG is under investigation of ED for alleged fraud in CWG. Phew! Strange abbreviations puncturing our patience.

ED getting after OC of CWG who works shady deals with EKS, SMAM and WSG. My feeling is the scam will eventually end up in JT (Jhoomri Tallaiya). So Anthony Gonsalves’ coefficient of linear is in juxtaposition with the haemoglobin of Suresh Kalmadi atmospheric pressure of the CommonWealth games in the country! What? Scream, yell and bang your head at the nearest unfinished foot-over bridge. You will find no reason and logic.

And that is what we are being served from Shera’s den, day in and day out. Verbal noodles of Anthony Gonsalves mixed with Kalmadi’s vinegar and served cold. Disaster of a recipe. Tasteless and constipation friendly. You wait for seven years and all you get is some alleged doctored email sent by some scapegoat who rides C-stars cabbie at A-stars price and then huffs and puffs on extravagant treadmills. That is enough salt n pepper for the sugar coated national pride. It actually disqualifies the ubiquitous ‘common man‘ from the commonwealth. From Why Commonwealth? the question now asked is What Commonwealth?


When Mr Kalmadi came dashing from London, albeit without Usain Bolt, the baton was held so high that he almost mimicked the statue of liberty persona. Hail the torchbearer of freedom of our games, freedom from the age-old shackles of cricket. The country was game-bound. The state machinery lured us into believing that our pride rested on Shera’s back. And we, the omnipotent pride masseurs rode our way up on Shera’s back. But to go up one must first come down. And down we went. So deep, that entire Dilli is dug up. Holes emerging in possible latitude, flyovers criss-crossing our mind and workers somersaulting over our disbelief. Heaps of debris and tonnes of dust.

Duststorm delivered to dilliwala’s at every possible red light. And everyone asking a potentially unanswerable question - Will this debris ever clean up? When will the dust settle? When will we actually fly-over? But we Asses in the Holes, we forget that we can’t google any question to our leaders and get a reply. Forget that we live in democracy, not googleocracy. As for our grandma chief minister, Sheila Dixit, she just mesmerized us with her chandamama’s story till we woke up to craters everywhere. She’s prone to succumb to ‘lines’. Blueline or deadline. When will she tell us where is the finish line of all this destruction..errr..construction.


So from Queen’s baton relay to toilet paper and astro turfs. The money marathon is on. Actually a relay race with many hands passing, jumping, diving and running away with the tax-payers money. After all, it is for the greater common wealth.


In the end, Mr Kalmadi here’s some good news for you from my ‘source’. You said few months back that after Commonwealth, India will bid for Asian Games and also Olympics! This has now been included in the Encyclopaedia of Greatest Jokes of Mankind. Keep Laughing...

Rudra Sharma
Senior Journalist

Join Commonwealth Jhel - The Kaali Patti campaign by clicking here