Will the Commonwealth Games bring shame and ignominy?

It has been clear for the past year that all is not well with our preparations for the Commonwealth Games, due to be held in the national capital in October this year. It began with fears about the budget being continually raised while work was distressingly slow. Now it has blown up into what seems to be a massive financial scandal. The Central Vigilance Commission has found that quality certificates in at least 16 Games projects are either forged or suspect.

This is not just a major embarrassment for India but more frighteningly, shows how endemic corruption has become in our system — as if we needed further proof of that. The Commonwealth Games have been touted as a reason for pride, as an event that will show to the world how we are ready to shine on the international stage. Instead, what we have on offer is shoddy workmanship, badly-made and potentially dangerous infrastructure and a few richer contractors, bureaucrats and politicians. The result — if we continue like this — is going to be national shame and international ignominy.

The Sheila Dixit is currently stonewalling all queries but that is not a defence that can last very long. Also in the dock is Suresh Kalmadi, who is head of the Indian Olympic Committee as well as the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC). The awarding of contracts by the OC to a UK firm has shown severe irregularities and in effect blown the whistle on the scandal beneath.

Just after former sports minister Mani Shankar Aiyar took on Kalmadi saying he hoped that the Games failed, current sports minister MS Gill has again raised the question of the spiralling budget — Gill claims it has jumped 18 times from 2003, from Rs611 crore to Rs11,494 crore.

What we have here appears to be a combination of hubris and inefficiency. Given the number of scandals which are emerging in sports which are controlled by the government and the arrogance of those in charge, it is evident that Indian sports — from the treatment of players to the creation of infrastructure — is in need of an urgent overhaul. The question of government and political interference can and must be raised again.

That however is the bigger picture. Right now, it is a question of egg on our face in front of the world because the shameful Indian tendency to make a fast buck wherever it can has jeopardised our reputation. Perhaps the Games need to be taken away from the IOC to a temporary authority. The punishment and recrimination can come later.