| I am not going to harp on about how messed up the | | | | true colours. My mother told me it doesn't look nice |
| Commonwealth games are. Enough has been written. | | | | to portray an unhappy home. She has to save the |
| The CWG2010 is, by far, the biggest and most | | | | family pride. Over time, the bruises turned to |
| blatant, exercise in corruption in independent India's | | | | fractures, and the fractures became near-fatal |
| history. Not only have they stolen public money, | | | | injuries. Until one day, police cars and ambulances |
| they've made a mess of the job at hand. Delhi is dug | | | | came in and took both husband and wife away |
| up and the official anthem (and ringtone) of the | | | | respectively. |
| Games should be the never-ending sound of drilling. If | | | | Yes, such is Indian culture. We are ready to cover up |
| you worry about whether or not the work will finish | | | | injustice on account of a fake sense of honour that |
| on time, imagine the plight of Delhi's residents after | | | | needs to show everything is in order. In the case of |
| the Games. The dug-up roads will never be repaired; | | | | the CWG, the organizers are the oppressive husband, |
| the potholes will remain as souvenirs, symbolic of the | | | | the Indian people the battered wife. But modern |
| great daylight robbery of 2010. | | | | Indian wives do not stay silent and suffering |
| Posturing, something this government has a PhD in, is | | | | anymore. |
| in full progress. Enquiry reports, vague statements, | | | | College unions, schools and individuals should take a |
| tossing responsibility from one person to the other | | | | stand and make clear — we do not support these |
| will continue, until the Games are over. After that, | | | | Games. Just as Gandhiji figured, the oppressor can |
| fingers crossed, people will forget. Bollywood stars | | | | oppress us; it cannot make us cooperate. Brand |
| will do the closing ceremony and the entertainment | | | | ambassadors lending their names to these Games |
| provided will somewhat compensate for the loot-fest. | | | | should think twice before lending their image to cover |
| In the middle of all this, there will be propaganda | | | | up corruption. The foreign media could present the |
| campaigns to 'save India's image' and get the Games | | | | full picture, namely that it is not the Indian people's |
| done somehow. People will be expected to support | | | | fault, it is a bunch of losers who didn't think twice |
| the event - after all, the pride of India is at stake. | | | | before looting the coffers of a poor country. The |
| The great Indian youth will be called upon to fill | | | | foreign media could use the situation to explain why |
| stadiums and add energy to the event. | | | | India doesn't win Olympic medals — not because |
| However, if we, the Indian people, support these | | | | we don't have the talent but because people who |
| Games, it will be a big mistake. This is a golden | | | | run sports would rather stuff their pockets with |
| chance for citizens to put this corrupt and insensitive | | | | stolen gold than help their country win a gold medal. |
| government to shame. Usually corruption issues are | | | | This government came to power just a little more |
| local in nature and they never really get the national | | | | than a year ago. They had a clear majority and |
| traction or resonance that these Games have | | | | enjoyed stability. They could have, if they wanted, |
| offered. | | | | shown exemplary governance for the next five |
| The CWG is an amazing opportunity because all | | | | years. Instead, they've given the Indian people |
| Indians have been robbed at the same time. Add to | | | | nothing but extreme inflation and extreme corruption. |
| that the fact that the government is desperate to | | | | Way to go, leaders. You guys are really great role |
| save face. Now is when we can get them. And the | | | | models for our youth. |
| way to do it is simply what the father of our nation | | | | The opposition parties have a big chance to capitalize |
| pioneered in his time — non-cooperation. Yes, and | | | | on all this. But first they need to get along, not mix |
| i've deliberated long before saying this — do not | | | | religion with politics and get aspirational leaders who |
| watch these Games. Do not go to the venues. Do | | | | are clean and work hard. They would be back before |
| not watch them on TV. You cannot become a | | | | you know it. |
| cheerleader to an exercise in cheating. The Indian | | | | And if the ruling party wants to get out of this mess, |
| people have been exploited enough, but to expect | | | | there is only one way. No, it isn't to execute the |
| us to smile through it is a bit much. If they can walk | | | | Games well — nobody cares about the silly |
| out of Parliament, we can walk out of stadiums. | | | | Commonwealth club anyway. The only way to get |
| Some might say, shouldn't we support the Games on | | | | out of this is to punish the people who did it, |
| account of our country's pride? The word 'pride' | | | | irrespective of their stature, and punish them hard. |
| reminds me of a little story. When i was a child, our | | | | Use this as an opportunity to kill corruption, not to |
| neighbours were a violent man and his battered wife. | | | | put on a grand, fake show. Otherwise, those holes |
| The woman would cover her bruise marks with | | | | you are digging in Delhi will be nothing but your |
| make-up, suffering silently. Whenever we visited | | | | political graves. People in India tolerate a lot, but |
| them, the couple presented the perfect picture of a | | | | when they get upset, they cause upset. Fix the |
| happy couple. She even praised her husband. I asked | | | | mess, or the Indian people will soon be telling you |
| my mother why the woman behaved in that way | | | | — game over. |
| and didn't expose her husband to show him in his | | | | |