Probably in all countries whose bid to host the Commonwealth Games is accepted, the local organising committee will be entrusted the task, and that will be that. Since sufficient time and adequate funding avenues are available, the OC will spare no effort to get the job done to the best of its ability in order to win accolades and to raise
the country’s status in the eyes of the world as a doer, with positive ripple effects for infrastructure, tourism, and the wider economy. The government and the political system are not called upon to step in. But it is evident that India is different. High on the list of corrupt nations, it was more than probable that those entrusted with staging the high-profile international event will not resist the temptation to put their hand into the till, and that the goal of national glory was likely to be far from their minds. The sorry story of unfinished projects, award of contracts to phantom companies, and what looks to be a case of gathering sleaze — still unfolding — goes to underline that the Indian government failed to size up the tricky customers who preside over the OC, allowing them a field day. This goes beyond poor judgment and may not be indistinct from obliviousness of responsibility, given our knowledge of what typically happens in the country when large-scale works are executed.
Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennell had visited the country many months ago and rung alarm bells over the state of preparations, although evidence of corruption had not surfaced then. OC chief Suresh Kalmadi still strutted about rubbishing detractors. The Prime Minister and his men took him at his word instead of paying greater attention to what experts like Mr Fennell were trying to say delicately. If those in authority had grasped the scale of the bungling, the inefficiency on display and the corruption that lay just beneath the surface, they could have initiated the steps they have only now sanctioned, literally days before the Games are due to open on October 3. These measures taken at the behest of the Prime Minister are no less than a takeover of the last mile preparations for the Games by the government. As such, the day-to-day supervision by senior officials of the highest administrative cadre is a vote of no-confidence in the OC.
It could still be touch-and-go, although Mr Fennell, on his second visit to New Delhi earlier this week, thought highly of the security arrangements that have been planned, and noted that play arenas looked top class provided all the last-minute detailing was looked after. We cannot but hope that we will pull it off in spite of the diffidence many entertain for good reasons. We also cannot but worry that Dr Manmohan Singh may have left it too late. It appears that the Prime Minister moved when corruption came to be openly talked about, rather than when the inordinate delays began to be recounted. The touching show of confidence in the organisers and disregard of public opinion was clearly unwarranted. We are heartened by Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s view that the success of the Games will go to the credit of the country, not any individual or party. It is also sensible of her to say that there will be no stinting on the probe into the mess that has been created and those found guilty will be proceeded against. While no democracy can tolerate a witchhunt, the country will be watching if the assurance will be followed through in quick time even if the guilty men seek to play for time and use known judicial ploys to escape the dragnet. The Congress Party and the government are on something of a trial. There cannot be any getting away from that.