The intent behind the austerity drive of the Congress Party may be pure and aimed at promoting the development and welfare of the country by cutting unnecessary costs. However, a conflicting viewpoint can also be considered in this context. The twin issues of security and inconvenience faced by the common man deserve to be taken note of.
Rahul Gandhi’s decision to travel in a train was met with skepticism from various quarters. The task of providing security to one of India most protected figures in a public transport vehicle proved a major headache for officials. This was further compounded when stones were hurled at the train, breaking two windows as the train passed a village en route from Punjab to New Delhi. The police downplayed the attack saying that it was not aimed at Mr. Gandhi. This incident has thrown up serious questions about the limits to which high-risk leaders can stretch austerity in public life.
Some Congress Party leaders were quick to take up the matter with the Director of the Special Protection Group (SPG). The SPG, which was formed after the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, is responsible for the security of national VVIPs. However, preparing security measures for a journeying VIP will always remain a daunting proposition. It gets even more difficult when a certain change is made prior to a journey.
Many security experts oppose austerity at the expense of security. There have been many arguments between leaders and security chiefs in the past in this context. In December 1989, the Secretary in charge of Internal Security was successful in dissuading the then Prime Minister, V.P. Singh against taking a commercial flight for domestic travel. In another incident, former SPG chief and director of Intelligence Bureau Shyamal Dutta tried to discourage Deve Gowda from taking a commercial flight to Bangalore on becoming Prime Minister in 1996. But the SPG had failed to stop Gowda from doing so.
Apart from the problem of security that arises due to the austerity drive, there is yet another issue: the inconvenience faced by the common man. An increase in security checks and other formalities would be a common occurrence when Ministers and other high officials begin to travel on commercial flights and passenger trains. The innocent public would have to face even more baggage checks, sanitization, blockages and scrutiny. The threat faced by the public in terms of terrorist attempts also increases manifold when political leaders adopt such moves.
Political leaders should always abide by the advice of their security personnel, refraining from unplanned and adventurous rides aimed at propagating the agenda of political parties. They must also take into account the high expense such situations would entail, to be incurred by the Government by way of strong security measures. The austerity drive could be addressed in better ways that would not disrupt the day-to-day living of the general public.
Austerity means the practice of simplicity in a person’s lifestyle. It entails sacrificing all kinds of luxuries and leading a strictly disciplined life. Austerity means uncompromising adherence to a principle in all aspects of life, including food, appearance and way of living.
The Congress Party’s austerity drive has managed to attract the imagination of many people across the land. However, it has also ruffled many feathers, especially among those in the top rung, resulting in a plethora of embarrassing moments. It all began with the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee commenting on the unnecessary expenditures incurred by ministers and directing the government departments to adhere to cost-cutting measures. The FM also had the backing of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who led the drive by flying to a party rally in the economy class of a commercial airliner.
The cue was taken by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who travelled from Delhi to Ludhiana in a chair car of Shatabdi Express. Later, the FM had asked the External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and his Minister of State Shashi Tharoor to vacate their accommodation in five-star hotels, where they had been staying while waiting for their official bungalows to be readied for occupation. The two ministers, however, rejected charges of wasting public money and clarified they paid for their hotel stay from their own pockets. Stung by the criticism, they shifted to less expensive quarters until the renovation works at their respective government residences were completed. Shashi Tharoor had the ignominy of facing another controversy. While flying economy class to Libya on an official mission, he had referred to himself as ‘flying cattle class’. This was seen in bad light in various quarters. Little did those offended know that this was a long-standing quip referring to the facilities provided in the economy class and not the community of passengers. A couple of ministers belonging to other parties of the UPA disregarded the austerity drive in a public manner.
There have been austerity drives in the past in India, most of them lacking in sincerity and motivation. One successful drive – and, as far as I can tell, the only one – dates back to 1965, led by the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. This drive was launched in the wake of an acute food shortage and the just-concluded India-Pakistan conflict. He called for people to miss a meal every week and dinners at weddings were discouraged. The drive was hugely popular and was followed by millions. Complemented by imports, this move helped India attain self-sufficiency to a large extent.
For its austerity drive, the Congress party has been ridiculed by its political rivals. The main opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had accused the ruling party of ‘tokenism’. During a party rally, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi challenged the UPA government to impose more stringent measures to prove its sincerity. The Congress party responded by saying that the opposition would never understand the concept of sacrifice and would continue to fight for chairs.
The austerity measures suggested by the FM should not end up as a mere publicity gimmick. The entire hullabaloo created by the measures would gradually subside if they become part and parcel of the government’s functioning. The drive, if led by the ministers, could show the way for the rest to follow. Our new-found penchant for austerity should not be limited to a couple of ministers traveling by economy class on a flight or train. The sense of commitment should percolate to other aspects of living such as renovation of the government accommodation and provision of vehicles to ministers’ families. Such a movement could lead to crores of public money being saved. The UPA government must always bear in mind that such expenditures involve the tax-payers’ money. Only time will tell if ‘the Great Indian Austerity Drive’ of 2009 would snowball into a virtue that becomes a part of every Indian.
On 3rd October 2010, the flames will be lit for one of the biggest sporting extravaganzas to be hosted in India since Independence. All eyes will be on New Delhi, the venue of the 19th Commonwealth Games. It will be the biggest sporting event in India since the 1982 Asian Games. As the Games near the starting date, the national pride will force the nation to deliver the best-ever Commonwealth Games since 1930.
A total of 71 countries are expected to participate in 17 different events, which include hockey, tennis, shooting and badminton. For the first time-ever, Kabaddi has been included as a demonstration sport at the Games. In the 2006 Games in Melbourne, India’s medal count was 50, placing the country fourth behind Australia, England and Canada.
India will be represented by 424 athletes at the Games. It is an opportunity for India to prove her sporting capabilities. Indian athletes are rarely known for their consistency in the international sporting arena. But losing on home ground would be more humiliating. The Games are a good opportunity to set an example and motivate a new generation of sportsmen. The Commonwealth Games should be used as an opportunity to revise our cricket-centric sports mindset and policy, and generate interest in other sports. The grandeur and excitement of the Games can be used to encourage kids and parents to take up gymnastics, badminton, athletics, table tennis, hockey, aquatics and various other games seriously. A diverse and accomplished sports community would definitely boost India’s image as a global player.
India is looking for a bagful of medals from the shooting range as the nation is emerging as a major force in the sport. In the previous edition, shooters accounted for 27 medals, more than half of India’s medals tally. Table tennis was another sport in which the Indians performed exceptionally well at Melbourne, winning the men’s team gold and the women’s team bronze for the first time. In the Commonwealth Championship that was held in Glasgow in May this year, we won seven medals, four more than in the previous edition. Our performance graph is definitely going up.
India has one of the strongest teams among Commonwealth countries in wrestling. Stiff challenges could be expected from Canada and Nigeria in this discipline. Although the men’s hockey team is going through a bad phase, the Indian team remains a force to reckon with. The recent favourable results of the women’s hockey team also raise our hope for a medal in this category. With the great strides that Saina Nehwal has been making in recent badminton events, India can look forward to a strong show from her at the Games.
India has successfully lobbied for the inclusion of tennis in the 2010 Games. The Davis Cup performances of Somdev Devvarman and Yuki Bhambri against South Africa to earn a World Group spot for India provides the team a chance to put up a decent show. Moreover, with the likes of Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza in the line-up, it would be a surprise if the team doesn’t clinch atleast a gold medal in this event.
Swimming, boxing, archery, squash and athletics will be the other disciplines that provide India chances of increasing her medals tally. The current form of the boxers, including Vijender Singh and Akhil Kumar, could prove threatening for the other boxers.
Other than the sporting requirements, there are a host of other issues that must be addressed. These include readiness of infrastructure, medical set-up, power shortage and foolproof security arrangements. Concern had been expressed from many quarters regarding the slow progress of completion of the infrastructure. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) President Michael Fennell is said to have written directly to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently about the state of affairs.
Construction delays and power shortages are part of the common man’s life in India. However, we must not let them be a source of embarrassment when thousands of athletes and tourists converge in New Delhi for the Games. The Games will be an excellent platform to showcase India’s economic progress, infrastructural preparedness and business potential. It would be a shame if such a golden opportunity is put to waste.
The security and intelligence credibility of the country had taken a beating after the recent 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Many teams and players have refused to tour the country following that incident. It has also led to a sharp decline in the number of tourists. The Government has repeatedly given assurances about the security of touring athletes. The Commonwealth Games would put the entire security and intelligence systems to test. This would not merely show the world that India is a safe place for investment and business, but also send a strong message across to terrorists and conspirators.
The Delhi government has finalized three government hospitals for providing medical facilities to athletes, team officials and others during the Games. These hospitals will have a secure ward, emergency ward and ICU beds. Medical centers will be set up at stadiums and training venues. The Government would also set up first-aid posts for spectators and officials at various places.
The New Delhi railway station has received a facelift and is being modernized for the event. The fully air-conditioned station is built on the lines of the New York’s Grand Central station. Tactile tiles for those with vision impairment and a lift system that inter-connects the floors of the three-storey complex are some of the new additions to the station. Indian Railways has introduced the passenger ferry vehicle for the first time.
Weathering, air quality management and forecasting will form a special component of the planning of the Games. The India Meteorological Department has drawn up elaborate plans, which include installing sophisticated forecasting equipment at all venues. The Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) will be setting up 10 monitoring stations to predict air quality status within a 50-kilometre radius around the Games Village.
The stakes will be high at the 2010 Commonwealth Games as India aims to host the Asian Games and then the Olympics in the next decade or so. Moreover, much will depend on how well it fares organizationally; and more importantly, on how close it gets to Asia’s sporting giants, China and Korea, in the sporting arena. It remains to be seen if India can rid itself of the tag of being chokers at the international sporting level.
News of the Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit briefing the PM Manhohan Singh on the progress of preparation to the CW Games 2010 has just come in. She was accompanied by the Union Sports Minister M.S. Gill to the PM’s Race Course Road residence. The Games, which was touted to be one of the biggest sporting spectacles the world has ever seen, is proving to be a headache for India. A matter of prestige, the Games will prove a major uphill task for the Government in the weeks to come by. The proper management of the Games will also go a long way in deciding India’s chances of hosting the 2020 Summer Olympics. A goof-up in the last minute would be the last thing the nation would want to witness.
Hi All… My first foray into blogosphere… I intend to use this blog as a platform to express my thoughts on certain topics that could manage to make me think..
Readers are encouraged to share their insightful views on my postings..
The Journalistic Eye 