Sheila whistles for the Queen

Games Baton reaches host city

Games Baton reaches host city

Finally, there was something to cheer about for Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. She could not hide her excitement when the Queen's Baton finally reached the host city - Delhi, on Thursday.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit celebrates the arrival of the Queen's Baton,
along with other dignitaries in New Delhiu00a0 on Thursday. PIC/Rajeev Tyagi

There was revelry in the air and the septuagenarian politician made no secrets of her enthusiasm and blew a whistle when the Baton was handed over to the delegation, including Lieutenant Governor Tejender Khanna and Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi.

The Baton reached the national capital after travelling 20,000 kilometers covering 28 states and seven union territories.

"The baton is here. The Games have arrived to our country. We want to spread this energy to all over Delhi and the country," said Sheila Dikshit It entered India from Pakistan through the Wagah Border in Punjab on June 25 this year and travelled across the country undertaking a 100-day journey.

Over the next two days, it will visit some of Delhi's prominent locations including Vijay Chowk, India Gate, the Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Lotus Temple and Raj Ghat among others.

The Lt. Governor, too, came forward and welcomed the Baton to its host city. "The significance of CWG could be linked to thousands of years of Indian community to open ourselves to the foreign community. We must ensure the happiness and comfort of our guests," he said.

"All participating teams have given thumbs up to our venues. The Games Village is the best of its kind event and would put Delhi a decade ahead," he added.

The OC Chief, who has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, didn't hold himself back and said it was not a "Congress game" and that all visiting contingents were now happy.

"We will have great Games. All 71 teams have come. We gave them the option of staying at the hotels but they preferred to stay at CWG village. This is not a Congress game but an all-party game. These Games was a dream of Vajpayee," said a beaming Kalmadi.

The OC chairman also confirmed that Olympic Gold medallist Abhinav Bindra will carry the Baton in the opening ceremony. "Baton will be in Delhi for the next few days. Abhinav Bindra will bring the baton for the opening ceremony on the October 3."

The Queen's Baton will have an extensive three-day display while moving through the city, beginning Thursday.

Thumbs Down

A coalition of more than 20 groups -- Anti-Commonwealth Games Front -- demanded a boycott of the Queen's Baton Relay and the Games. They were holding placards reading "boycott the poverty games" and shouted "we want schools, not stadiums."
About 100 people demonstrated in front of the Organising Committee's office.
The protest groups said India was a poor country and cannot afford the games. "This is an anti-poor, anti-labourer, anti-people drama of 10-15 days that will make people struggle for years. This is a shameful event which shows that we still have not come out of our colonial mindset. By agreeing to organise the Games in our country we have conceded to the superiority of the British government," said Ajit Jha, a Delhi University professor. Sunil Kumar, a youth leader, said no one was bothered about the fact that labourers were being exploited for the Games, including the workers injured last week when a pedestrian bridge collapsed near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
"Two of the 27 labourers injured in the bridge collapse are still in a coma. One of those two had worked for 21 hours at a stretch before he got injured, according to the log maintained at the site," said Kumar.