Oxomor 120 joniya bihu dol etiye perform koribo. Somnath Bora dolpoti! On 9/28/10, Manoj Das <dasm...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Ram! I'll do! > > This article is by Vir Sangvi, one of India's most respected mediapersons. > > Manojda > > On 9/28/10, Ram Dhar <ramd...@hotmail.com> wrote: >> >>>>>*India is very angry. Bharat couldn't care less!*>> >> >> Manojda, >> Good to hear from you, you can act as assmm net freelance reporter on >> the >> opening ceremony ! >> >> >> some excerpts from an article i read recently in HT ---- >> >> When Indians talk about ourselves these days, it is this new India we >> allude >> to. It is the new India that is an emerging superpower. It is the new >> India >> that is the rival of a resurgent China. It is the new India that the >> world >> is rushing to befriend and to invest in. >> But just as we begin to believe the hype about the new India, the old >> India >> comes back and bites us in the arse. >> One reason why there is so much public outrage over the CWG mess is >> because >> we perceive the old India as having failed the new India. On the one >> hand, >> we talk about competing with China. On the other, we can never ever dream >> of >> matching up to the standard of the spectacular Chinese Olympics. In fact, >> as >> long as the old India types are in charge, we can’t even organise the >> Commonwealth Games, a relatively minor league event. >> In the eyes of the world, we are now a laughing stock. We can brag as >> much >> as we like about the new India. But when it comes to delivering on an >> international commitment, we are no China. We are still corrupt, slothful >> old India. >> The most horrifying aspect of the CWG fiasco is that the guys at the top >> still don’t get it. You and I may think we are building a new India. But >> the >> old geezers who are still in charge are content to live in the old India. >> >> Take sports minister, M.S. Gill (age: 74), a retired babu and the man who >> must take the rap for many of the screw-ups. Gill’s view is that the >> Commonwealth Games are like an Indian wedding. There will be disasters. >> There will be chaos. There will be confusion. But somehow, it will work >> out >> in the end. This is India, yaar, he suggested, this is our way of doing >> things. >> It is hard to think of an attitude that is more out of tune with today’s >> times. Forget about systems, forget about delivery dates and forget about >> accountability. It’s like a shaadi, yaar. Ho jayega. Somehow! >> Or take Jaipal Reddy (at only 68, the baby of this Cabinet). After Suresh >> Kalmadi fell into disrepute, Reddy was moved in by the government to keep >> an >> eye on things. Much of the faulty construction is the responsibility of >> his >> ministry. >> What do you suppose Reddy’s attitude to the recent foul-ups is? The >> collapse >> of the overbridge that injured several workmen. The false ceiling that >> caved >> in, etc. >> These are minor matters, he says. Why focus so much on them? These things >> happen, he suggests. And finally, there is the inevitable appeal to >> patriotism, always the last refuge of the politician. All of us should >> focus >> on the positive aspects of the Games and not draw attention to the >> disasters. Because India’s prestige is at stake. >> And who do you suppose put our prestige at stake? The people who oversaw >> the >> collapsing bridges? Or you and I who worry about this disaster in the >> making? >> When the Cabinet is full of people who operate in a chalta hai >> environment, >> can you be surprised by the attitude of the organising committee? >> Every Indian I know was deeply ashamed to see the pictures of the filth >> in >> the Games Village and to read the reports about the state of the >> athletes’ >> accommodation: human crap on the floor, paan stains on the wall, dirty >> loos, >> and animal footprints on the beds. >> And yet, how did the organising committee react? According to Lalit >> Bhanot, >> the problem was merely one of the differing standards of western hygiene >> and >> Indian hygiene. >> With that single response, Bhanot summed up the difference between his >> India >> and ours. In his India, it’s all right if people crap on the floors of >> bedrooms meant for athletes. If anybody complains, then they are just >> using >> western standards of cleanliness. >> This clash between the two Indias runs through almost every aspect of the >> CWG fiasco. In the old India, it is unthinkable for officials to disperse >> hundreds of crores of rupees without pocketing substantial kickbacks for >> themselves. >> So it is with the CWG organisers. Forget about the over-priced equipment >> purchased for the Games or the dodgy companies hired at huge cost to >> perform >> meaningless tasks. Even the contracts for constructing buildings and >> roads >> have been awarded on the kickback principle. Why else do you suppose the >> infrastructure is so shoddy? Why else would bridges fall, buildings >> remain >> incomplete and ceilings cave in? >> The tragedy of the Commonwealth Games is that it did not have to turn out >> like this. If we had assigned the Games preparations to the private sector >> — >> to any of the infrastructural companies that run airports, build hotels >> etc >> — budgets would have been adhered to, deadlines would have been kept and >> the >> construction wouldn’t have been sub-standard. Moreover, there would have >> been accountability. If the private sector fails, then it doesn’t get >> paid. >> Alternatively, the government could have displayed some leadership. In >> 1980, >> Indira Gandhi recognised that the Asian Games would be a fiasco unless >> the >> government got involved at the highest level. Rajiv Gandhi oversaw the >> preparations, deadlines were kept, the infrastructure survives till today >> and the Games served as an advertisement for India. >> But what this government has given us is a complete repudiation of >> Rajiv’s >> legacy. The preparations have been handed over to people like Suresh >> Kalmadi >> and when ministers have got involved, the task has been left to >> incompetent >> windbags. Nor has there been any attempt to find an alternative private >> sector model. >> Is it any wonder that we are all so angry? As hard as we try to build a >> new >> India, this fiasco reminds us that old India still has the power to >> humiliate and embarrass us. >> >> >>> Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:39:18 +0530 >>> From: dasm...@gmail.com >>> To: assam@assamnet.org >>> Subject: Re: [Assam] Aftermath of CWG >>> >>> Dear D'da >>> >>> I took a tour of the facilities and the city yesterday by road to >>> reaasure >>> myself.. >>> 1. The village looks awesome from outside. Things inside are now less >>> worrisome. Food is fantastic, cleanliness is upto the mark, view near >>> the >>> Akshardham temple backdrop is very nice; >>> 2. Yamuna is full is fresh flood water, dirty filthy stinky pollutants >>> gone; >>> 3. Stadias are games ready; >>> 4. Delhi eye opened today at Kalindi Kunj, Metro lines linking Connaught >>> Place to NOIDA, Badarpur (Faridabad), Gurgaon is ready; >>> 5, New Airport T3 with 74 aerobridges is great; >>> 6. Airport Metro line will open in a day or two; >>> 7. Nearly 25000 volunteers are ready; >>> 8. 1000 AC low floor red lone buses are ready at the world's largest bus >>> depot at Yamuna bank; >>> 9. Security is at full gear; >>> 10. Rehearsal for Opening ceremony has started 1month back, we also >>> bought >>> 4 >>> tickets for our family @Rs 5000 each to witness the event; >>> 11. 2000 Blueline ordinary buses are packed off the roads from today; >>> 12. This will be a world class game no doubt..you can say JIT (Just In >>> Time >>> Game); >>> >>> Indian economy started performing when gold was taken out of the country >>> in >>> planeload in 1991. I think this CWG shame will act as a catalyst to >>> clean >>> up >>> our public space of corruption. >>> >>> Yes some heads will roll after the games. I think MS Gill, Jaipal Reddy, >>> Suresh Kalmadi will go soon after. >>> * >>> * >>> *India is very angry. Bharat couldn't care less!* >>> * >>> * >>> *BTW, *Commonwealth Games Chief Mike Fennel himself is embroiled in many >>> controversial contracts related to the CWG preparations. Kalmadi was >>> smart >>> to rope all in the loot. Rs. 70000 crore spent on the games included the >>> airport, metro, water treatment plants, stadias, roads, streetscaping, >>> FOBS, >>> AC Buses >>> * >>> * >>> *Jay ho!* >>> Cheers! >>> >>> On Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 8:51 AM, Chan Mahanta <cmaha...@gmail.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>> > >>> > On Sep 26, 2010, at 9:43 PM, Dilip Deka wrote: >>> > >>> > > I see two scenarios coming out of the CWG fiasco. >>> > > 1. India pulls it off at the last minute. CWG goes on and has a >>> > > happy >>> > ending >>> > > despite some minor mishaps. India claims a big success and brags >>> > > about >>> > it, "See, >>> > > we told you. It could be done. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE INDIA". >>> > >>> > >>> > **** First off: Define success. What will constitute a success, let >>> > alone a >>> > BIG one? >>> > >>> > >>> > > 2. The CWG is a flop with major disasters and it starts major reform >>> > > in >>> > India in >>> > > terms of corruption. This happens because the middle class Indians >>> > > get >>> > insulted >>> > > and upset. It always takes a big event to make big changes. >>> > >>> > **** Similarly, WHAT would determine if it was a flop? >>> > >>> > >>> > Only then one can delve into your question. Speaking of which, why do >>> > you >>> > assume that >>> > in case of a FLOP, Indians would consider it an insult and demand >>> > reforms >>> > to eradicate corruption. >>> > Is it CORRUPTION that is at the root of a possible flop? Why could it >>> > not >>> > be corrupt yet successful? >>> > >>> > I see a problem with the assumption that corruption is the cause for a >>> > possible flop. Does >>> > competence not have a place in the equation? Nobody has accused China >>> > of >>> > being free of corruption, but they >>> > proved how COMPETENT they are. In other words competence and >>> > corruption >>> > are NOT mutually exclusive. >>> > Few would complain IF competence could be demonstrated, would they? >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > > >>> > > What do you see? Alternate scenarios? >>> > > Dilip Deka >>> > > _______________________________________________ >>> > > assam mailing list >>> > > assam@assamnet.org >>> > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org >>> > >>> > >>> > _______________________________________________ >>> > assam mailing list >>> > assam@assamnet.org >>> > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org >>> > >>> _______________________________________________ >>> assam mailing list >>> assam@assamnet.org >>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org >> >> _______________________________________________ >> assam mailing list >> assam@assamnet.org >> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org >> > > -- > Sent from my mobile device > > C 166 LGF > Sarvodaya Enclave > New Delhi 110017 > 09910972654 >
-- Sent from my mobile device C 166 LGF Sarvodaya Enclave New Delhi 110017 09910972654 _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
