When the Commonwealth Games?s official spokesman and Suresh Kalmadi?s trusted aide defended the dirty images of the games village that had created an international hue and cry by declaring that, ?Everyone has different standards about cleanliness. The Westerners have different standards, we have different standards,? he raised a ruckus at home. Clean is clean; we protested that we knew this even if Bhanot didn?t. But conditions at the capital?s Ramlila maidan, which is currently serving as the nucleus of the anti-corruption movement, make one worry that perhaps Bhanot wasn?t all that wrong.
It was last Thursday, on August 18, that the government gave Anna Hazare permission on hold his fast at the Ramlila maidan. Hazare still spent that night at Tihar jail so that the proposed venue could be readied to host his supporters. MCD said it had mobilised all available personnel and heavy machinery to make the ground habitable. It appeared that the usually lethargic agency was rising to the challenge. Except, come Friday, the maidan was all mucky. Yes, a certain section was covered with what had been advertised as waterproof tents, but the thin sheets that the supporters were supposed to sit on were dank and malodorous. Rush and rain were blamed, but who had been expecting their opposite? When Saturday arrived, so did crowds that were reported in the commodious range of 50,000-1,00,000. MCD was still levelling part of the maidan, except it was now glutted with human faeces. Clearly, the mobile toilets weren?t living up to their mandate. As of yesterday, the maidan is in a worse state and the horror stories keep pouring in.
Hundreds of people have fallen sick at the maidan. The good doctors volunteering at the free medical kiosks are doing their best but expecting the worst. Those mobile toilets are egressing into a ditch running alongside the maidan, which is within smelling distance of the food outlets. Anna may be fasting but there are truckfuls of biscuits being distributed, kadhi-chawal being poured out and puris being fried at the maidan. As for the water, MCD itself has advised the ?masses? not to use the available pouches. It?s a mystery why they weren?t made unavailable on Day 1, or why the MCD thinks it can get away by saying that a large quantity of disinfectants it has sprayed got washed away in the rains. After all, the IMD hasn?t declared a premature end to the monsoon season.
Once you start finger-pointing, the maidan become a microcosm of a polity where accusations can be hurled at everyone and everyone can pass the buck. MCD is an obvious culprit. But the MCD is in the BJP?s hands, and the opposition party has been making hay at the ruling party?s boo-boos. Hey, check out your own backyards. What about India Against Corruption?s Facebook campaign titled Operation Cleanup? Obviously the around 2,000 people who ?liked? it didn?t actually turn up at the maidan with sweat and brooms. Sure, there are good Samaritans picking up the trash but they are outnumbered by those who ignore the trash bins or collect water pouches only to crush them wastefully. What about Team Anna itself? Its coffers are overflowing to such an extent that it?s no longer accepting cash donations. Yet, while folk mill about in confusion since the maidan has no clear exit and entry signs, it hasn?t bothered to put up screens?forget ceiling fans for all but the VIPs.
Remember, this maidan hosts a historic Ramlila attended by Who?s Who forever?including Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajendra Prasad and Indira Gandhi.
Just last October, Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi were shooting off arrows at Ravana here. Surely trash-control was better then.
Sadly, if you actually find a free autowallah outside the maidan, just because he is sporting an Anna cap and flying the tricolour won?t mean that he will cringe from demanding 70% more than the meter fare. Happily, Jantar Mantar, India Gate and Rajghat are clean, green and uplifting at present.
renuka.bisht@expressindia.com