I have deliberatly refrained from writing anything on the mess that is Common Wealth Game, what with all the TV Channels and print media spewing out enough dirt on the games. Now, however, I cannot restrain myself from chipping in.

What got my goat is of course the incident related to the collapse of the foot over-bridge. This is what NDTV, one of our prime news channels, had to report that day –

With just 12 days to go for the Games, a new foot over-bridge near the main venue of the Games, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, collapsed, injuring 23 labourers, five of them critically.

Is this what disturbed me enough to write this piece? Not at all. At any project of this scale accidents are bound to happen, more so in a situation where things are being pushed beyond tolerance limits to achieve impossible deadlines, due to delays caused earlier. What disturbs me though is the statements made by the ministers concerned, on this accident. Read on what NDTV had to report –

The man heading the Group of Ministers in-charge of the Games played down the collapse.

‘This is a minor incident. The Commonwealth Games will not be judged by this,’ said Jaipal Reddy, Urban Development Minister.

Also trying to downplay the collapse, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said, ‘The over-bridge was for spectators not for the games officials or the athletes. We will make alternative arrangements for their convenience at the earliest. The chief secretary and the traffic department are discussing the matter.’

So the over-bridge was for spectators, not for the games officials or the athletes

She blamed the media for distorting the picture and giving the country a bad image. She said it’s important to note positives and termed the collapse of the pedestrian over-bridge as ‘minor’ and ruled out the structure being reconstructed.

The collapse of over-bridge would have been significant only if it was meant for the politicians.

I don’t know if you noticed – the over-bridge was for spectators not for the games officials or the athletes she said. The spectators are expendable – mostly Indians, isn’t it? And Indian lives are cheap. So many of them die in accidents daily after all.

So the collapse of the foot over-bridge would have been significant only if it were something meant for the athletes and delegates and dare I say the politicians.

God forbid if some bridge or any other facility were to crash on spectators at the height of the games – probably killing and maiming hundreds, because our politicians and administrators would be concerned only if a foreigner were to get injured.

What a shame!

(Note: This blog was originally posted by me in 2010 on another blog-site)