A Farcical Runup to the Games

I am embarrassed as a person of Indian origin to read about the preparation for the Commonwealth Games. I am embarrassed beyond words and dont know where to hide when I read the Wall Street Journal frontpage story about the sorry state of the facilities. I am also angry that we have allowed the games to descend into this - a case of missed deadlines, budget overrun by billions of dollars and shoddy infrastructure. I am incensed by the response of the politicians like Lalit Bhanot and Sheila Dixit - "Please try to understand ... They want certain standards of hygiene, they want certain standards of cleanliness, which may differ from my standard," said Lalit Bhanot, spokesman of the Delhi organising committee.

They want certain standards of hygiene and we are different!! My foot - Mr Bhanot - how would you like if you had to stay in a place where the beds were not clean - and the walls are painted with paan spit and human and dog "tatti" be in the bathroom? You should be sacked Mr Bhanot for your low standards of hygiene! And Sheila Dixit says security is not her concern - well Ms Dixit when the Games are being held in Delhi - SECURITY SHOULD BE YOUR CONCERN!

During the Beijing Olympics, most venues were ready a year before the event. And everything was ready at least six months before the event. These CWG are going to be worse than the Greek Olympics!

I wish and hope people are held accountable after the Games are over - for the corruption, for the delays for the budget overruns and for the embarrasment this is causing the country. If no heads roll then that means we as a nation are lost. After all it is the taxpayers who are paying for the games!

The run up to the games also suggest that in spite of great talent, our ability to organize and manage is still a sorely lacking capability. Why?