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Rain gods haven't helped the Commonwealth Games' cause
For those of us who have kept batting for the Commonwealth Games despite rising odds, the going just keeps getting tougher. The latest setback involves the collapse of a footbridge next to the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, the main Games venue. This comes right on the back of various countries declaring 'grave concerns' about accommodation. There have been dengue and terrorist attacks, which couldn't have been anticipated exactly. Rains have been overwhelming. The bottom line is that in a week in which international athletes are scheduled to pour into the Indian capital, Shera is looking soggy.
When the Union sports minister gave his now infamous Monsoon Wedding analogy, he would have done well to take it literally. When Suresh Kalmadi toured the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium and declared that "everything is 100% ready", was he wearing blinkers against the rubble and stagnant water? Much as the Olympics showcased Beijing's abilities to deliver, the Commonwealth Games were supposed to play up New Delhi's competence. But even its best-wishers are getting concerned now. A collapsed footbridge isn't necessarily significant in the larger scheme of things, where big infrastructural achievements hold more significance. But in an environment where everything about the Games has become suspect (including the AR Rahman ditty), the collapse makes everyone fearful that this particular 'wedding' isn't going to be particularly fortuitous.
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