Editor,
Being an outstation golfer I had the privilege to play the so-called prestigious Tournament last year in Shillong, my birthplace. I took this long to write because I thought that only Rs 10 lakhs was sponsored for this tournament, as a result of which sub-standard treatment was given to the players. I was shocked to learn on my recent visit to Shillong that the amount spent from the Youth Development Scheme of the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, for the tournament was actually Rs 50 lakhs.
As a golfer I have the following observations:
The status of the gold course is horrible. No maintenance was done before the tournament. The breakfast served to the golfers was pathetic and lunch was sub-standard…all catered by the Tourism Department. Before arriving at the Golf Course we called the Golf House to find out about the programme. The call was attended by the Golf Captain who was extremely rude and shouted into the phone. The drinks served were of poor quality and to top it all the Secretary was shamelessly drinking Scotch in our presence. The prizes (no cash prizes) made of crystal were not even fit to be given in such a Tournament. The give-aways before the start of the Tournament were not more than Rs 1000 each and not Rs 7000 as stated by the Shillong golfers. My Shillong golfer friend who was in my four ball played a game which was worse than mine but nevertheless got a prize. This shows that the prizes were all pre-planned and tabulated wrongly by the people keeping the scores.
Why are the Shillong golfers keeping quiet on such an issue? Is it true that only 4-5 members were involved in organizing this event and others were conveniently kept out of the loop? Are these 4-5 members afraid that others would expose them or that they might not get a cut out of the loot as anticipated? Should this event be called an international event since there were just a few golfers from the neighbouring states? Who heads the Shillong Golf Club? Are they mute spectators or do they too have a hand in this scam? Was Rs 50 lakhs really spent on this Tournament?
And please, this is a request to Shillong golfers, don’t expect us to treat you with hospitality when you come for our tournaments since in those two days what you gave us was a shame and a sham!
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
Jingoistic misconceptions
Editor,
All too often one can distinctly hear the utterances, “Proud to be Indian” or we display these words in adverts, garments, caps and many varying paraphernalia. Yes undoubtedly as citizens of Bharat, we ought to express our sentiments of being proud Indians, but are we correct to remind the world of this exultation?. After all, what is there to be proud about or gloat over? We have the filthiest cities and towns stinking of squalor, stagnant drains, uncleared mountains of garbage and a degraded environment visible wherever we go. India abounds in corruption and self-centered, egocentric national and regional leaders who ensure there is plentiful supply of surrounding “Yes-men” to pander to their every whims and fancies. India claims to be a leading democratic nation, but we have no right to expression, nor the freedom to write or speak one’s mind., but we enjoy the right to publicly urinate and defecate any and everywhere. Can we name a city we can be proud of? The world views India with suspicion and disgust for speaking with a forked tongue and adopting hypocritical attitudes and for blaming every act of shame on a system we repeatedly fail to comprehend and enforce. This is the state of India, post-British Raj. So do we dare accept what the great Winston Churchill stated decades ago ….that we Indians would be the doom of this Nation. So are we right to still claim we are proud to be Indians. I, for one, am ashamed of my India.
Yours etc.,
Lewis Sooting,
Via emai