Today the plumber came to take a look at my leaking kitchen tap and the leaky flush. If he didn’t do anything today, the overhead tank would empty itself through my house within a few hours. The connection to the flush could be closed but nothing could be done about the kitchen tap. I told him to fix it quickly. He gave me a list of things to be purchased, which he would take care of, of course. I only need to pay him. A person who knew better saw the list and told me, “There is no need to change the kitchen tap, a change of washer should suffice.” Sensing the urgency of the situation and my obvious ignorance, the plumber was hoping to make an extra buck.
If he, an ordinary, local plumber, can easily make a few rupees by fooling unsuspecting customers now and then, what of people who get to play with crores of International money? Is it any surprise that their eyes turn yellow at the sight of all the ‘wealth’?
Today we are on the verge of yet another National Shame. The Commonwealth Games, whether it gets called off or not, would remain one of the greatest disgraces of recent times. ‘One of the greatest’, I said. Naturally there will be more to follow. But why drag people from other countries into it? We should stop looking International, and limit ourselves to national and regional levels of corruption and mud-slinging. After all, why do we have to get foreigners to point their fingers at us? We can manage very well ourselves, thank you, the bribery, the callousness, the pointing fingers, the terrorism, the whole bunch of them. We are a great nation where all kinds of people co-exist. And how.
I was never a keen follower of the Commonwealth Games. I admit I had to google to know which countries are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. The only interest I had this year was because it was going to take place in India. I was proud of it too. Will it be anywhere close to the dazzling FIFA World Cup that Africa had hosted, I wondered. I bought a couple of T-shirts that had sketches of the CWG on them, to show my pride. With 12 more days to go for the Commonwealth Games to begin, here is the status (from the pages of NDTV):
Athletes pull out
Commonwealth Games Village is filthy
Foot over-bridge collapses
Why is it that so much of corruption and irresponsibility exist in the entire hierarchy of our country? How and when did it start? Who is responsible? Are there other countries who are worse than us – or at least just like us? These questions do not matter. The fact is that It exists. And that it will continue to exist. It cannot be changed, as long as people can get away with it – with the help of more bribing. To borrow a thought from my blogger friend Mike, a group is indeed judged by the few who misuse. There can be never be a Nayak. If there ever is one who takes a step forward, he is immediately shot down – as shown by the recent political martyrs, who had to quit, confessing that this really isn’t their cup of tea. Why would anyone want to sully themselves, their families and ruin their single, short lives?
People of other Nations, please note. Do us a favour. Do not bring any more events to our country. We can’t handle them. If in a million years, we change, we will come crawling on our knees and beg. You can look at us then. Till then, please leave us to wade in our miseries. Don’t show the kindness of calling us a great nation – we really aren’t. Don’t even think of helping us – because we are very capable of managing quite well by ourselves. It has become our lifestyle. We’re a developing nation. But please don’t ask what we’re developing into.
I normally restrict my blog to the small world immediately around me, though I read, think and worry about the bigger picture a great deal. The whole nation has something to say about the topic, what more can I add? Why put myself – and my land and my people – in a bad light? The truth may be that we never were in a better light. We just pretended we were. We thought we could still get away with these because we have a few thousand years of history.
Today the frustration and bitterness spill across the threshold. And when I am frustrated, I write.
Continue, my countrymen. Continue peeing around the streets and living your life happily ever after with someone else’ money. Don’t change one iota.
After all, who’s going to stop you?
Totally agreed since last month i used to encourage my friends that CWG will be the biggest thing happened in our country and it will bring lot of new things in our country but after reading yesterday and todays news i think now i need to rethink abt my standing. We are developing and will always remain a developing country…Guess wat Our politicians and bureaucrats,they dont care
Very nicely written Jeena. Had similar thoughts going through my mind.
" The truth may be that we never were in a better light. We just pretended we were. " – so true.
Its so sad, to see these, that too two days after seeing a mega event!! I've been to Shanghai World Expo, even though it never required all these attention, they worked hard for 6 years to set a name for them. See what we acheived!
A Journey to the Unknown Spaces
Well written, Jean! Frustration always brings the best out of a writer…
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A colleague from one of the Caribbean nations pointed out to me that the problem with colonialism is that it teaches its subjects that to be in power means that you get to take possession of all the profits. And, in those nations where the foreign grip has been resisted, there is also a lesson, provided as often as necessary, that you can legitimately imprison or simply gun down those who challenge your power.
This leads to a situation where you have parties in power and parties out of power in a constant, corrupt and often violent struggle against each other to preserve or to upend the established system, and to stuff their pockets as full as possible at every opportunity, with very little thought given to the good of the nation as a whole.
India, of course, had a more established system and a shorter period of direct rule than most other nations, but apparently the lessons were learned. Which, this outsider might add, makes it kind of ironic to be celebrating having been part of the Commonwealth.
Thank you everyone, for sharing your views.
We may come out of this somehow but I fear the stain would remain. In our hearts.
The Commonwealth Games story has been getting top billing here in Canada, as there was some concern for a while about Canadian athletes moving into the village. Some here were calling for our athletes to stay home on account of the frightening conditions within some of the facilities.
Thankfully, things seem to be working out, but your spot-on perspective reminds me of the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. I was just a young 'un then, but I grew up there, and remember well how corruption and greed resulted in huge cost overruns and a stadium whose roof wouldn't be finished for another 11 years! (And, once we're on the subject, still doesn't work properly.)
I guess human nature can be just as ugly anywhere on the planet, and in any era. Sigh.