Who is responsible?

Who is responsible?

It drives me to the wall seeing the way media and Indians (residents and non-residents) reacted over the seemingly failure of Indian government’s initial attempts to organize Common Wealth Games (CWG). I am partly despondent because of the corruption, lack of organizing skills from the government officials but what disheartens me most is the attitude of common Indians. I know it’s not news to any one of us, either about corruption or the mindset of Indians in general.

I have been keeping abreast of how the games are being organized over the past 1 year and I reckon we are making cogent progress in several fronts. Rome was not build in a day; and I accede to the fact that we ought to do lot better. But that “WE” include you, me and the government, not just the government. Over night one cannot expect all citizens and politicians of India to be genuine, honest and law abiding; it is not happening; so why expect unblemished CWG preparations?

NDTV showed a picture where one security officer, who is supposed to shepherd CWG preparations, was relieving himself in front of a big CWG poster. Who is responsible for that demeanor? Delhi chief minster Sheela Dixit or shameless security officer? I would not be surprised if the same security officer accosts the media and sells few more awful pictures that he had captured in the interest to make some money. More than half of the volunteers had dropped off after receiving expensive free kits; doesn’t it speak of our attitude towards the issues and then the very same “US” grumble about everything that is not done properly.

Even (self proclaimed) unbiased new channel CNN reported quoting “hard evidences of child labor in CWG preparations”. Any sane Indian (photographer is an Indian!) who has seen the photographs would understand that the kids shown those photographs are not child laborers but the kids who are too young to go to school and loitering around with their parents. Does that mean that India does not have child laborers; no there are millions of them. But the way the western and Indian media has pointed child laborers in India in this very particular instance is not justified.

We have been dragged through mud many times by our fellow Indians and foreigners. We handled it in the past and we continue to do the same. If India, as a nation, attempts to do any thing, whole world (including fellow Indians) will look through lenses to find faults. Does that mean we should bow our heads and stop progressing ourselves? Hell NO, we will learn, just like we have been learning ourselves in various fields and we shall progress, sky is the limit. Some might say cake is not worth the candle, may be it is true, but there is beginning for everything; this is just the beginning in one front, which lays foundations to our greater deeds.

Being critical about government or any thing for that matter is good to an extent. I am not carrying water for the government but our quibbles should also be accompanied by ventures to solve the problems and it is not just by preaching what should be done but rather by doing / aid in facilitating what should be done. There could be few people who have put their selfless efforts to make CWG a success. If we keep looking for what has not been done properly and blame the entire team, the genuine guys would lose interest eventually and by mere fault finding we will never be able to achieve any thing as a whole country.

In my books, it is not solely Sheela or Kalmadi or MCD who is responsible for the mess; it’s the proclivity of Indians that is failing us. I am not saying that every one should join politics to clear up the mess, what I am saying is, just be a perfect citizen. What might also get us to the destiny soon will be the change of callous attitude that has been deeply ingrained in our minds over decades.